Russian forces continuing their shelling and attacks along the front line despite Russian President Vladimir Putin announcing an “Easter truce,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday morning.
Just hours after Putin’s alleged order was meant to have come into effect, air-raid sirens went off in the capital Kyiv and several other Ukrainian regions.
“Across various frontline directions, there have already been 59 cases of Russian shelling and five assaults by Russian units,” Zelensky said on social media, citing a 6 a.m. report from Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky.
In the six hours up to midnight Saturday, there were “387 instances of shelling and 19 assaults by Russian forces,” with drones “used by Russians 290 times.”
“Overall, as of Easter morning, we can state that the Russian army is attempting to create the general impression of a ceasefire, while in some areas still continuing isolated attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine,” Zelensky’s post said.
The ceasefire
“Today from 1800 (1500 GMT Saturday) to midnight Sunday (2100 GMT Sunday), the Russian side announces an Easter truce,” Putin had said in televised comments during a meeting with the Russian chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov.
Zelensky saidUkraine would follow suit, and proposed extending the truce beyond Sunday, despite accusing Russia of having already broken its promises.
“Russia must fully comply with the conditions of the ceasefire. Ukraine’s proposal to implement and extend the ceasefire for 30 days after midnight tonight remains on the table,” Zelensky’s post said Sunday.
Earlier he suggested that “30 days could give peace a chance” – while pointing out that Putin had already rejected a proposed 30-day full and unconditional ceasefire.