Under claims of a cease-fire, fighting persists as Ukraine responds to Russian attacks, highlighting volatile front lines.
Russia's Easter Cease-Fire Broken: Ukrainian Response Follows Suit
Russia's Easter Cease-Fire Broken: Ukrainian Response Follows Suit
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reports continued Russian aggression despite a promised cease-fire, indicating a tense rhetorical battle amid the war.
In a striking turn of events, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine announced that Russian forces have disregarded their Easter cease-fire declaration, with artillery and drone reprisals coming from both sides. The cease-fire, meant to last 30 hours, was intended to create a semblance of peace; however, the reality on the ground starkly contradicts this portrayal.
Citing extensive artillery fire and multiple assault attempts, Zelensky reported that Russian troops fired nearly 450 times and conducted 24 assaults from Saturday evening at 6 PM, coinciding with the cease-fire's initiation, until the early hours of Sunday. Drones were also deployed over 300 times, particularly aggressive during the truce's first hours. “The Russian Army attempts to create a facade of a cease-fire,” Zelensky noted, stressing that actual hostilities continued unabated.
The cease-fire, announced by Russian President Vladimir V. Putin just two hours prior, was seen as a political maneuver aimed at placating the United States, particularly under the watchful eye of the Trump administration, which had recently expressed frustration over Russia's refusal to engage in potential peace negotiations. Despite the declared truce, Zelensky expressed skepticism regarding Russia's sincerity and promised reciprocal military responses from Ukrainian forces.
In an immediate follow-up, the Ukrainian President reiterated, “Our military will respond in kind to enemy actions.” As net tensions rise, Zelensky urged the possibility of extending the cease-fire for an additional 30 days, yet remains steadfast that the defense of Ukraine continues relentlessly until genuine peace is achieved.
With the conflict ongoing since February 2022, calls for concrete and lasting solutions grow increasingly urgent as Russia's two-hour warning does little to quell hostilities on the battlefield, making diplomatic resolutions seem further away than ever.
