As Orthodox Easter passed with promises of a temporary ceasefire, the Kremlin has confirmed that it will not extend its self-declared truce. According to Dmitry Peskov, press secretary to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, no order was given to prolong the so called “Easter ceasefire”, which began at 18:00 on 19 April and expired as planned at midnight on 21 April.
This announcement follows growing scepticism in Ukraine over Moscow’s intentions, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stating Ukraine would mirror any genuine silence on the battlefield, but warned that real peace cannot be achieved in just thirty hours. He underlined that thirty days are required for a meaningful ceasefire to be considered trustworthy.
Despite Russia’s claim of a holiday truce, Ukraine reported significant attacks throughout the Easter period. On Easter Sunday alone, there were 46 Russian assaults and 901 shellings, with nearly half involving heavy weaponry. These figures were confirmed by Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi in a report delivered at 4:00 PM on Easter Day.
The President revealed that the fiercest combat occurred in the Pokrovsk direction, while in the Toretsk area, Ukrainian troops tragically fell into a Russian ambush, resulting in casualties. President Zelenskyy expressed outrage, vowing that the Russian soldiers responsible will be eliminated. He reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to act in a mirrored fashion, respecting any genuine pause in hostilities, but warned that Moscow’s actions reveal the Kremlin’s continuing aim to escalate the war.
Putin had earlier declared a 30-hour truce for Easter in limited regions including parts of Donetsk. However, attacks in those very areas including Siversk, Kursk, and Toretsk cast serious doubt on the sincerity of Moscow’s intentions.
Ukrainian officials are pushing for sustained international pressure on Russia, warning that short ceasefires declared for image control or propaganda are insufficient. Kyiv maintains that true peace requires accountability and control over the occupying forces, not staged pauses followed by intensified violence.
