Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Vladimir Putin of breaking his personal Easter ceasefire with “dozens” of drone strikes launched throughout Ukraine‘s frontline.
Regardless of the Russian president’s declaration of a truce on Saturday, set to be in place till midnight on Sunday, Mr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces had recorded 59 instances of Russian shelling and 5 assaults by models throughout varied areas alongside the entrance line, in addition to “dozens” of drone strikes.
“As of now, in accordance with the Commander-in-Chief reviews, Russian assault operations proceed on a number of frontline sectors,” the Ukrainian president mentioned in a publish on X on Sunday.
“General, as of Easter morning, we are able to state that the Russian military is trying to create the final impression of a ceasefire, whereas in some areas nonetheless persevering with remoted makes an attempt to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine.”
The UK has urged Russia to decide to a full ceasefire, as Ukraine has carried out.
“Now could be the second for Putin to point out he’s severe about peace by ending his horrible invasion,” the British international ministry mentioned in an announcement.
In the meantime, Ukraine has introduced house a whole lot of its troopers in an trade of prisoners of warfare with Russia.
Ukraine claims a whole lot of cases of Russian shelling regardless of Easter truce
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of continuous fight, together with the usage of artillery strikes and drones, regardless of saying a 30-hour ceasefire protecting Easter.
“Between 6:00 pm yesterday and midnight at present, there have been 387 cases of shelling and 19 assaults by Russian forces. Drones had been utilized by Russians 290 occasions,” Zelensky mentioned.
“General, as of Easter morning, we are able to state that the Russian military is trying to create the final impression of a ceasefire, whereas in some areas nonetheless persevering with remoted makes an attempt to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine,” he mentioned in a publish on X.
The Ukrainian president mentioned Kyiv’s proposal to implement and prolong the ceasefire for 30 days after midnight “stays on the desk”.
Vishwam Sankaran20 April 2025 05:55
Why Moscow introduced 30-hour Easter truce
Russian president Vladimir Putin mentioned “humanitarian issues” had been behind his choice to announce an Easter ceasefire yesterday.
“Primarily based on humanitarian issues, at present ranging from 6pm (3pm GMT) to 12am Monday the Russian facet proclaims an Easter ceasefire,” Putin advised his navy chief, Valery Gerasimov, at a Kremlin assembly.
The Russian president mentioned the momentary truce would exhibit whether or not Kyiv was prepared to adjust to agreements and take part in peace negotiations, which he mentioned can be aimed toward “eliminating the foundation causes of the Ukrainian disaster”.
Russia makes use of the “root causes” phrase to seek advice from its pre-war calls for for Ukraine to by no means be part of Nato and for regime change in Kyiv.
Nonetheless, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused his Russian counterpart of constructing the announcement for “headlines” as a substitute of displaying real confidence-building peace measures.
Zelensky mentioned Russian troops proceed to hold out assaults regardless of the ceasefire announcement.
Observers suspect Russia is trying to curry favour with the US and painting itself as an agreeable negotiating accomplice with the restricted ceasefire announcement.
Vishwam Sankaran20 April 2025 07:12
Blasts reported in Russian-controlled Donetsk amid Easter ceasefire
A number of blasts ripped by Russian-controlled Donetsk in japanese Ukraine on Sunday amid an Easter ceasefire declared by the Kremlin, Russian information company reported.
The TASS state information company, citing native “operative providers”, mentioned at the very least three blasts had been heard within the metropolis, which has been below Russia’s management since 2014.
The RIA information company additionally mentioned that at the very least three explosions had been heard within the metropolis after 9am (7am BST), citing its reporter within the space.
The battlefield reviews couldn’t be instantly independently verified.
Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced a shock one-day ceasefire in Ukraine on Saturday for Easter, however Kyiv mentioned Russian forces continued artillery hearth and referred to as as a substitute for an prolonged true halt to hostilities.
Tara Cobham20 April 2025 09:36
Message of Easter ‘resonates in each Ukrainian coronary heart’, Zelensky says
Easter is a day that “provides us all hope” with meanings rooted within the story of Christ and a message that resonates “in each Ukrainian coronary heart”, the Ukrainian president mentioned on Sunday.
The message “strengthens our religion, which, regardless of every little thing, has not light over 1,152 days of full-scale warfare,” Zelensky mentioned.
“Every of us has lived by such moments – when it hurts deeply, when it’s unbearably arduous, and also you ask: ‘God, why is that this taking place to us? The strikes, the explosions, the gunfire – all this struggling’,” he mentioned.
Zelensky mentioned there was “God” inside Ukrainians of their “willpower. Resilience. Compassion and humanity.”
“That is His presence. He’s inside our individuals. And so, there’s mild in individuals,” he mentioned.
Vishwam Sankaran20 April 2025 09:10
Ukrainian PoWs reunite with family members in emotional homecoming
Mass prisoner swap brings emotional homecoming for hundreds of Ukrainian troops
Dozens of launched Ukrainian prisoners of warfare embraced family members in emotional reunions after they had been returned from Russian captivity. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned 277 Ukrainian troopers had been returned within the warfare’s largest trade on Saturday (19 April). Most Ukrainians had been younger individuals born after 2000, Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Remedy of Prisoners of Warfare mentioned. Since Russia’s invasion started, a complete of 4,552 Ukrainians, each navy and civilians, have been returned. Hundreds of prisoners of warfare stay in captivity. Saturday’s trade was the 63rd because the begin of the warfare.
Vishwam Sankaran20 April 2025 08:25
‘Eventually evil will retreat,’ Zelensky says in Easter message
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky shared a particular message to Ukrainians on the event of Easter, that “ultimately…evil will retreat”, seemingly referring to the Russian invasion of the nation.
“Evil could have its hour, however God can have His day. This is likely one of the meanings enshrined within the story of Christ,” Zelensky mentioned, including that “ultimately, but inevitably, evil will retreat, and life will triumph”.
“Could evil’s hour finish. Could the day of life arrive. The day of peace. The day of Ukraine,” he mentioned.
“Could there be peace. Could there be Ukraine,” the Ukrainian president added.
Vishwam Sankaran20 April 2025 08:20
US officers reportedly rising annoyed with Russia
American diplomats are rising annoyed that the Kremlin officers have “dragged their ft” concerning US president Donald Trump’s proposed unconditional basic ceasefire, TheNew York Instances reported, citing European officers aware of peace deal discussions.
Trump can also be “shedding his endurance” and should withdraw from the peace course of, Axios reported, citing two European diplomats.
The US president additionally mentioned yesterday that he hopes to conclude a peace deal in Ukraine “shortly” and that if both Ukraine or Russia “makes it very troublesome” then “we’re simply going to take a go”.
Vishwam Sankaran20 April 2025 06:56
Over hundred injured in Russia’s Good Friday assault on Kharkiv
Russian missile strike on the northeastern metropolis of Kharkiv on Friday killed one civilian and injured at the very least 120 Ukrainians, in accordance with the area’s governor Oleh Syniehubov.
The assault utilizing ballistic missiles geared up with cluster munitions additionally broken over 50 residence buildings and over 30 autos, he mentioned.
In latest occasions, Ukraine has accused Russia of more and more utilizing cluster munitions to trigger widespread harm.
As an example, Ballistic missiles with cluster munition warheads struck Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on 4 April, inflicting at the very least 89 casualties, in accordance with the Institute for the Research of Warfare.
Such assaults in latest weeks are more and more concentrating on civilian areas, Ukraine claims.
Vishwam Sankaran20 April 2025 06:39
Police and protesters conflict at Kyiv LGBTQ+ movie competition
Police and far-right protesters clashed exterior Kyiv’s Zhovten cinema, the venue of the Sunny Bunny LGBTQ+ movie competition, which is Ukraine’s first queer movie competition.
Members of a far-right group referred to as “Prava Molod” gathered exterior the film theatre in assist of what they referred to as “conventional values”, in accordance with Suspilne media.
Police detained the demonstrators after a conflict broke out.
“Ukraine is a secular state the place individuals of various faiths and beliefs stay facet by facet,” the competition organisers mentioned in an announcement.
“In a secular nation, quite a lot of occasions, from theater to cinema, happen on any given vacation, and Sunny Bunny is only one of them,” they mentioned.
Vishwam Sankaran20 April 2025 06:25
Russia’s intentions can be revealed solely with full ceasefire, Zelensky says
The Ukrainian president mentioned Russia’s true intentions for peace could be revealed provided that a “full ceasefire actually takes maintain”.
“Ukraine proposes extending it past the Easter day of April 20. That’s what will reveal Russia’s true intentions,” he mentioned in a publish on X, including that solely a ceasefire for at the very least thirty days “may give peace an opportunity”.
“Russian artillery hearth has not subsided. Due to this fact, there isn’t any belief in phrases coming from Moscow,” he mentioned, accusing Russia of breaking its personal Easter ceasefire.
“We all know all too effectively how Moscow manipulates, and we’re ready for something,” Zelensky mentioned, including Ukraine would react with “silence in response to silence, defensive strikes in response to assaults”.
Vishwam Sankaran20 April 2025 05:47
