Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of breaking Easter truce

Russia and Ukraine on Sunday accused each other of violating the Easter truce declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pledged to respect.

Putin surprisingly announced on Saturday a 30-hour "humanitarian truce" for Easter, a cessation of fighting that would have been the most significant in more than three years of conflict.

Since the truce began at 3 p.m. GMT on Saturday, Ukrainian President Zelensky accused Russia of continuing attacks, and on Sunday, the Ukrainian leader reported new shelling and offensives.

The Russian Defense Ministry denounced that despite the truce, "Ukrainian units attempted overnight to carry out attacks on Russian positions in the areas of Sukhaya Balka and Bogatir" in Donetsk, a region of eastern Ukraine partially controlled by Russia.

The ministry said these attacks "were repelled."

Russian authorities also said they recorded attacks by Ukrainians in the border regions of Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod, which resulted in civilian deaths and left civilians wounded.

Zelensky accused Russia of launching "combat activity" in Pokrovsk and Siversk on the eastern front and claimed that the Russian military "continues to use heavy weaponry."

The Ukrainian leader reported on social media on Saturday morning that they recorded 59 cases of Russian shelling and five assaults by Russian units, citing a statement from the military.

He further claimed that in the six hours before midnight on Saturday, there were 387 bombings and 19 assaults by Russian forces.

"This Easter proved unequivocally that Russia is the only source of the war and the reason for its prolongation. We are ready to move towards peace and a full, unconditional and fair ceasefire that can last at least 30 days, but Russia has not yet responded to this," Zelensky noted.

The Ukrainian Air Force did not report any shelling by drones or missiles on Sunday morning.

AFP journalists deployed on the eastern front reported hearing explosions Sunday morning.

Russia comdemns civilian deaths

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that overnight Ukraine launched "444 artillery strikes" on military positions of its soldiers and 900 drone attacks.

These attacks left "dead and wounded" among the civilian population, the ministry said, without giving further details.

Russian authorities stressed that their troops "have strictly respected the ceasefire and remain on the front lines and in the positions they previously occupied."

Putin's order to suspend fighting over the Easter weekend between 3 p.m. GMT until 9 p.m. GMT Sunday came after months of failed attempts by U.S. President Donald Trump to broker a truce between Moscow and Kiev.

Washington threatened on Friday to pull out of the talks if there is no progress in ending the conflict, which began in February 2022 with the invasion launched by Russia against Ukraine.

Zelensky responded on X that "If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly — mirroring Russia’s actions."

Earlier, the Ukrainian leader expressed skepticism and noted that Putin had rejected an earlier proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire and urged Russia to extend the truce.

"We can't trust Russia"

In Kiev on Sunday, many residents expressed doubts that Russia would respect the truce.

"They have already reneged on their promise. Unfortunately, today we cannot trust Russia," said Olga Grachova, a 38-year-old shopkeeper.

Natalia, a 41-year-old doctor, lamented that Ukraine's offers are not reciprocated.

"No one responds," she said.

In Moscow, Yevgeny Pavlov, 58, expressed that he does not believe that Russia should give Ukraine respite.

"There is no need to give them a respite. If we push, it means we must push to the end," he told AFP.

Other attempts to establish a truce on important dates in the Christian calendar, such as Easter 2022 and Orthodox Christmas 2023, have so far failed.

In his Easter address this Sunday, Zelenski stated that the meaning of this religious celebration is the retreat of evil and the triumph of life.

"Today, these words resonate in the hearts of all Ukrainians. And they strengthen our faith, which, despite everything, has not wavered during 1,152 days of war," he said.