KYIV, Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a surprise 30-hour Easter ceasefire in Ukraine beginning Saturday evening, but Ukrainian officials and civilians say fighting has continued, casting doubt on Moscow’s intentions and credibility.
Putin’s announcement came just days after the United States warned it could withdraw from peace negotiations if both sides failed to show a genuine commitment to dialogue. At a televised meeting with Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, Putin said:
“Based on humanitarian considerations … the Russian side announces an Easter truce. I order a stop to all military activities for this period.”
The unilateral ceasefire was scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) on Saturday and last until midnight Sunday. However, shortly before the ceasefire was set to begin, air raid sirens wailed across Kyiv, followed by additional alerts in the capital and surrounding regions throughout the night.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy immediately dismissed the announcement, stating on the social media platform X:
“Yet another attempt by Putin to play with human lives.”
He cited Ukraine’s military reports indicating that Russian forces continued assault operations across multiple fronts, with artillery fire ongoing.
“Russian artillery still sounds, rather than any promise of silence from the Russian leader. Russian drones are being used. In some sectors, it is quieter,” Zelenskiy wrote.
He also noted that the ceasefire did not appear to include Russia’s border regions of Kursk and Belgorod, where hostilities continued amid Ukrainian incursions.
General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s top commander, confirmed that “Russian assault operations continue on several frontline sectors, and Russian artillery fire has not subsided.”
“Therefore, there is no trust in words coming from Moscow,” Zelenskiy said.
The Easter truce follows a failed bid by former U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to broker a broader 30-day ceasefire last month. Ukraine agreed to the proposal, but Moscow rejected it. The sides only agreed to limited pauses in targeting energy infrastructure and maritime zones, terms both have accused each other of violating.
“If a complete ceasefire truly takes hold, Ukraine proposes extending it beyond the Easter day of April 20,” Zelenskiy said.
International reaction to Putin’s announcement was cautious. A European Union spokesperson in Brussels said:
“Russia has a track record as an aggressor, so first we need to see any actual halt of the aggression and clear deeds for a lasting ceasefire.”
The British Foreign Office added:
“Ukraine has committed to a full ceasefire. We urge Russia to do the same.”
On the ground, Ukrainians expressed skepticism.
“This man is not capable of reaching any sort of a deal. He does not know how to do that,” said Tetiana Solovei, 65, a Kyiv resident. “Tonight, in Ukraine and especially in Kyiv, we expect missiles. There will be no ceasefire.”
Officials in southern Ukraine reported Russian strikes on the Kherson region even as the truce was set to begin. The provincial governor posted a photo of a damaged building and wrote on Telegram:
“Unfortunately, we are not seeing any sort of calm here. The shelling continues and our civilians are under fire.”
Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation echoed the same message, confirming that shelling continued across multiple locations.
Although public broadcaster Suspilne cited eastern front troops saying Russian attack frequency had lessened in some areas, war bloggers and military analysts observed continued hostilities along the frontlines.
Putin’s Easter ceasefire comes just a week after a Russian missile strike on the city of Sumy killed 35 civilians and injured nearly 120 others, many of whom were preparing to celebrate Palm Sunday. The attack, one of the deadliest of the year, triggered renewed pressure on Washington to toughen its stance on Moscow.
Putin has previously made similar unilateral ceasefire announcements, including a 36-hour Orthodox Christmas truce in January 2023, which Kyiv outright rejected and which had little effect on fighting.
Meanwhile, Kirill Dmitriev, a Kremlin envoy who recently visited Washington, promoted the ceasefire on X, writing:
“One step closer to peace”
U.S. peace efforts now hang in the balance, with the Trump administration signaling it may abandon talks unless both parties demonstrate serious intent. As hostilities continue despite Putin’s declaration, Ukraine and its allies remain wary of Moscow’s motives behind the short-lived and seemingly ineffective ceasefire.
