Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of hundreds of ceasefire violations

During Orthodox Easter, Ukraine and Russia have exchanged accusations of numerous ceasefire breaches. Ukrainian military officials reported on Sunday morning that Russian forces had violated the truce 2,299 times since its start at 16:00 local time on Saturday. In response, the Russian defence ministry claimed that Ukrainian troops had broken the agreement 1,971 times, citing three attempted counter-attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced the Easter ceasefire unilaterally earlier in the week, despite prior hesitations from Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated his forces would “respond symmetrically” to Russian attacks during the pause, calling the holiday “a time of peace.” However, he expressed hope the truce could be extended to aid stalled peace talks, which were disrupted by the Middle East conflict. Russia dismissed this, asserting it would resume attacks on Monday.

“We hope the truce could be extended beyond Easter to facilitate peace negotiations,” said Zelensky.

According to Ukrainian reports, Russian troops launched 28 attacks and executed nearly 2,000 drone strikes during the ceasefire, though they avoided using bombs or missiles. In the Sumy region, bordering Russia, local authorities revealed a drone strike had hit an ambulance overnight, injuring three medics. Meanwhile, Russia accused Ukraine of three overnight assaults on positions in Pokrovsk and Otradne, noting that Ukrainian advances in Sumy and Donetsk had been “thwarted.”

Both sides announced the exchange of 175 prisoners of war on Saturday, with seven civilians each included in the deal. Despite these gestures, civilians and frontline soldiers in Ukraine remain skeptical about the ceasefire’s effectiveness. Kyiv has advocated for a broader agreement, viewing it as essential to ending the full-scale invasion. Moscow, however, insists on securing a peace deal first, leading to doubts about its commitment to the truce.

Prisoner Exchanges and Conflict Context

Ukraine and Russia confirmed the transfer of 175 captured soldiers on Saturday, including seven civilians per side. This move occurred alongside the ongoing war since 2022, which has seen intense fighting across regions. While the Easter ceasefire was intended to reduce hostilities, both nations continue to accuse each other of breaches, underscoring the fragile nature of the truce.