CHERNIHIV REGION, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine mentioned it might reciprocate any real ceasefire by Moscow, however voiced skepticism after Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced a short lived Easter truce in Ukraine beginning Saturday.
The announcement from Kyiv got here as Russia and Ukraine carried out their largest prisoner alternate since Moscow’s full-scale invasion began over three years in the past. Putin introduced a short lived Easter ceasefire in Ukraine beginning Saturday, citing humanitarian causes. In response to the Kremlin, the ceasefire will final from 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) on Saturday to midnight (2100 GMT) following Easter Sunday.
Putin provided no particulars on how the ceasefire can be monitored or whether or not it might cowl airstrikes or ongoing floor battles that rage across the clock.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned if Russia is genuinely prepared to look at a full and unconditional ceasefire, Ukraine will mirror that strategy and strike solely in protection.
He mentioned such a gesture, notably over the Easter weekend, might reveal Moscow’s true intentions.
“If a full ceasefire actually takes maintain, Ukraine proposes extending it past Easter Day on April 20,” Zelenskyy mentioned on Telegram. “That can reveal Russia’s true intentions, as 30 hours are sufficient for headlines, however not for real confidence-building measures.”
Zelenskyy added that, in accordance with army experiences, Russian assaults and artillery fireplace continued alongside elements of the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) lengthy entrance line.
In response to the ceasefire announcement, Ukrainian Overseas Minister Andrii Sybiha mentioned that Kyiv had in March “agreed unconditionally to the U.S. proposal of a full interim ceasefire for 30 days,” which Russia rejected.
“Putin has now made statements about his alleged readiness for a ceasefire. 30 hours as a substitute of 30 days,” Sybiha continued, writing on X. “Sadly, we now have had an extended historical past of his statements not matching his actions.”
Putin’s ceasefire announcement got here after U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday mentioned negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are “coming to a head” and insisted that neither facet is “taking part in” him in his push to finish the grinding three-year battle.
Largest POW alternate to date
The 2 sides in the meantime exchanged a whole bunch of POWs on Saturday. Russia’s Ministry of Protection mentioned that 246 Russian service members had been returned from Ukraine, and 31 wounded Ukrainian POWs had been transferred in alternate for 15 wounded Russian troopers in want of pressing medical care.
Zelenskyy mentioned that 277 Ukrainian “warriors” have returned residence from Russian captivity.
Either side thanked the United Arab Emirates for his or her mediation.
A lot of the Ukrainians freed within the newest prisoner alternate are younger folks born after 2000, Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Remedy of Prisoners of Conflict mentioned Friday.
Outdoors a hospital in Ukraine’s Northern Chernihiv area, the place not too long ago freed POWs had been introduced after the alternate on the border, dozens of family members stood ready.
Amongst them was 48-year-old Nataliia Lohvynchuk, who rushed towards the bus the second it arrived. She hadn’t seen her son in three years, since he was captured in the course of the battle for Mariupol within the spring of 2022.
Her son, 23-year-old Ihor Lohvynchuk, misplaced about 40 kilograms (88 kilos) in captivity. “It nonetheless doesn’t really feel actual,” he mentioned softly. “We’re not likely right here but. All of us made it again, however we’re nonetheless not right here.
His mom, overcome with emotion and embracing her son, issued a plea: “We name on the complete world, on each nation — assist us convey all our boys residence.”
Hundreds of POWs stay in captivity. The alternate is the fourth this 12 months and the 63rd for the reason that begin of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
For the reason that outbreak of the battle, a complete of 4,552 Ukrainians, each army and civilians, have been returned from captivity.
Russia says its forces have retaken almost all of Kursk
Russia’s Protection Ministry mentioned Saturday its forces pushed Ukrainian troops from the village of Oleshnya, certainly one of their final remaining footholds in Russia’s Kursk area, the place the Ukrainians staged a surprise incursion final 12 months.
Gerasimov mentioned Saturday in a report back to Putin, quoted by Russian state media, that Russia had retaken almost all the territory from Ukrainian forces.
“The principle a part of the area’s territory, the place the invasion occurred, has now been liberated. That is 1,260 sq. kilometers, 99.5%,” Gerasimov mentioned.
Zelenskyy wrote on X that Ukrainian forces “continued their exercise on the territory of the Kursk area and are holding their positions.” Ukraine additionally claimed that it holds a presence past the Kursk area in Russian territory with an intention of stopping the offensive on the Sumy area and to combat on enemy’s soil.
The Related Press was unable to confirm the declare instantly from Russia.
In response to the Russian state information company Tass, Russia continues to be preventing to push Ukrainian forces out of the village of Gornal, some 7 miles (11 kilometers) south of Oleshnya.
In different developments, the Ukrainian air power reported that Russia fired 87 exploding drones and decoys within the newest wave of assaults in a single day into Saturday. It mentioned 33 of them had been intercepted and one other 36 had been misplaced, probably having been electronically jammed.
Russian assaults broken farms within the Odesa area and sparked fires within the Sumy area in a single day, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service mentioned Saturday. Fires had been contained, and no casualties had been reported.
Russia’s Ministry of Protection, in the meantime, mentioned its air protection programs shot down two Ukrainian drones in a single day into Saturday.
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Comply with AP’s protection of the battle in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
