Zelenskyy, Putin exchange blame over failed Easter ceasefire

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of violating its own ceasefire announcement, stating that attacks continued throughout Saturday night and into Sunday, despite a 30-hour truce declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“As of Easter morning, we can say that the Russian army is trying to create a general impression of a ceasefire, but in some places, it does not abandon individual attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.

Putin had announced the ceasefire on Saturday evening, stating it would last from 6pm Moscow time until midnight on Sunday, following the Orthodox Easter. 

However, the Russian Defence Ministry later accused Ukrainian forces of launching drone attacks and shelling during the truce period.
According to Zelenskyy, Ukrainian forces recorded 59 shelling incidents, 26-unit assaults across several frontline regions, and numerous drone strikes. 

He urged Russia to fully abide to the ceasefire conditions and reiterated Ukraine’s willingness to extend the truce for 30 days, starting from midnight Sunday.

“We will act in accordance with the actual situation on the ground,” Zelenskyy added.

The Ukrainian president’s latest comments contrast with a more optimistic tone on Saturday night, when he acknowledged that some areas had experienced a drop in hostilities following Putin’s announcement. 

“As soon as Putin gave an order to scale back the attacks, the intensity of strikes and killings dropped. The only source of this war and its prolongation is in Russia,” he said on X.

Russian-installed officials in the occupied Kherson region also accused Ukraine of breaching the ceasefire. The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that Ukrainian forces had launched hundreds of drone attacks and opened fire on Russian positions.

Putin did not provide details on how the ceasefire would be enforced or whether it included airstrikes and ground combat operations, which continue to rage in contested zones.

His announcement followed comments from US President Donald Trump on Friday, who suggested that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia were “coming to a head” and hinted that he might intervene in peace efforts if talks do not progress.