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Ceasefire marred by hundreds of alleged violations
Ukraine and Russia have each accused the other of breaching a temporary Easter truce, with both sides reporting thousands of violations within hours of the ceasefire's start.
Ukraine reports 2,299 Russian violations
Ukrainian military officials stated that Russian forces committed 2,299 violations of the ceasefire since it began at 16:00 local time (13:00 GMT) on Saturday. Among the incidents, four unarmed Ukrainian soldiers were shot dead in the northeastern Kharkiv region after being disarmed, an act Ukraine's military condemned as a war crime. A drone image released by Ukrainian authorities appears to show the four bodies in a clearing.
In the Sumy region, bordering Russia, a Russian drone struck an ambulance overnight, injuring three medical personnel, according to local officials.
Russia claims 1,971 Ukrainian breaches
The Russian defense ministry countered with its own allegations, reporting 1,971 violations by Ukrainian forces. It claimed Ukraine launched three overnight attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk region and attempted four advances in Sumy and Donetsk, all of which Russia said it repelled.
Russian forces also conducted 28 attacks and nearly 2,000 drone strikes during the truce, though Ukraine noted no bombs or missiles were used.
Ceasefire's fragile origins
The temporary pause in fighting was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week, marking a rare concession after months of resisting calls for a truce. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had pledged a symmetrical response to any attacks during the ceasefire, framing Easter as a time of peace.
Zelensky expressed hope the truce could be extended beyond Easter to revive stalled peace negotiations, which have been further sidelined by the conflict in the Middle East. However, Russia dismissed the idea, stating its military operations would resume on Monday.
Prisoner exchange amid tensions
Despite the hostilities, both nations announced a prisoner swap on Saturday, exchanging 175 prisoners of war each, including seven civilians from both sides. The exchange was one of the few cooperative gestures amid the broader breakdown of the ceasefire.
Skepticism on the frontlines
Civilians and soldiers in Ukraine, where the war has raged since 2022, expressed little optimism about the truce's effectiveness. Kyiv has long advocated for a more comprehensive ceasefire, viewing it as a critical step toward ending the full-scale invasion, while Moscow has insisted on a peace deal as a precondition, drawing accusations of insincerity from Ukraine and its allies.
"Easter is a time of peace, but we will respond to any aggression," Zelensky said in a statement.
