Russia and Ukraine accused each other of violating a temporary ceasefire decreed on the occasion of Orthodox Easter, just hours after its entry into force, in a new episode that reflects the fragility of any attempt at a truce in the conflict that both countries have maintained for more than four years.
The cessation of hostilities, announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin, began on Saturday at 16:00 Moscow time. His Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenski, had previously stated that Kiev would respect the 32-hour break, in line with the religious celebration shared by both countries. However, soon after the start of the truce, there were cross-complaints about
its non-compliance.
Russian authorities reported that Ukrainian drones attacked several areas in border regions such as Kursk and Belgorod. According to local governors, at least five people were injured, including civilians. Among the reported incidents, there was the impact of a drone against a gas station in the town of Lgov, which occurred, according to Moscow, after the official start of the ceasefire
. The Putin government announced that Ukrainian drones attacked the Kursk and Belgorod regions a few hours after the ceasefire came into effect.
In parallel, Ukraine presented an opposing version of events. The General Staff of its armed forces assured that Russia committed hundreds of violations of the agreement in a few hours. In its report, Kiev counted 469 incidents, including drone attacks, bombings and offensive actions in different areas of the front. These statements could not be independently verified
.
The exchange of accusations highlights the lack of effective mechanisms to monitor and ensure compliance with this type of temporary truces. Similar situations have already occurred in previous ceasefires, including one of comparable duration during Easter last year
.
In Moscow, Putin attended religious Easter celebrations at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where he highlighted the spiritual meaning of the holiday. In a message released by official agencies, the president described Easter as a symbol of “love, good and justice” and thanked the Orthodox Patriarch Kirill for his support for the Russian military campaign in Ukraine, which the Kremlin continues to call a “special military
operation”. On the other hand, the Zelensky government reported that hundreds of Russian drones launched attacks against several Ukrainian cities
For his part, Zelensky avoided referring directly to reports of violations in his evening speech, but reiterated Ukraine's willingness to respect the ceasefire. He also expressed his desire to extend the truce beyond the initial period, stating that an extension would make it possible to assess more clearly Russia's real commitment to
peace.
Despite these statements, the continuation of incidents during the ceasefire has generated skepticism among international analysts and observers. The persistence of military actions in a context of truce reinforces the perception that these agreements are more symbolic than effective, and that both parties also use them as tools for political and diplomatic positioning
.
The episode comes at a time of stalemate in international efforts to reach a negotiated solution to the conflict. Without concrete advances in the talks, temporary pauses in the fighting appear as limited measures, unable to substantially modify the dynamics of the war
. Despite the ceasefire declarations announced in the last few hours, both sides are continuing military actions, as has happened on previous occasions
