WorldDesk

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of staging a false impression of an Easter ceasefire, despite continued military aggression across the front line. Speaking on Sunday, Zelenskyy said Russian forces were still launching attacks even after President Vladimir Putin had publicly announced a unilateral truce for the holiday.

"On Easter morning, it's clear the Russian army is trying to project an image of a ceasefire," Zelenskyy posted on X. "But in reality, they continue attempts to advance and inflict losses."

Ukrainian forces recorded at least 59 shelling incidents and five assaults by Russian units, along with dozens of drone strikes, all taking place after Putin’s ceasefire declaration. Zelenskyy added that, although Ukraine reciprocated the ceasefire gesture, Russia has ramped up the use of heavy weaponry. He did, however, note that Easter morning passed without air raid sirens—an unusual and welcome pause.

In one particularly deadly incident, several Ukrainian troops were killed in an ambush in the Donetsk region. Zelenskyy vowed that the Russian soldiers responsible would be “eliminated.”

Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, claimed Ukrainian forces launched overnight attacks in the Donetsk area and flew 48 drones into Russian territory, causing civilian casualties. The ministry insisted Russian troops were fully observing the ceasefire.

In Kherson, a Russian-occupied region in southern Ukraine, Moscow-installed officials also accused Ukraine of continuing attacks.

Zelenskyy called for Russia to honor the ceasefire in full and reiterated Ukraine’s offer to extend the truce for an additional 30 days beyond its scheduled end at midnight Sunday. According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, there has been no response from Moscow.

“Either Putin lacks control over his army, or Russia simply doesn’t intend to end the war,” Zelenskyy said. “This is just a PR stunt.”

Just hours after announcing the ceasefire, President Putin attended an Easter service in Moscow at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, led by Patriarch Kirill—a vocal supporter of the war.

Putin gave no specifics on how the ceasefire would be enforced, nor whether it included airstrikes or ground operations.

His announcement came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump commented that peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are “coming to a head,” and said both sides were taking negotiations seriously.

The U.S. State Department on Sunday reaffirmed its support for “a full and comprehensive ceasefire.” Officials highlighted recent peace discussions in Paris and confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared encouraging developments in a call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.