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Easter Ceasefire Crumbles as Russia and Ukraine Trade Accusations of Violations

The short-lived truce meant to honor the holiday has devolved into a familiar cycle of blame and bloodshed.

Foreign PolicyPublished April 12, 2026 at 11:53 AM
An elderly woman walks past the ruins of a house in Donetsk

The fragile peace intended to mark the Orthodox Easter holiday has failed, with both Ukraine and Russia reporting thousands of ceasefire violations since the truce began on Saturday.

Ukraine’s military claims Russian forces committed 2,299 violations, including the execution of four unarmed, disarmed soldiers in the Kharkiv region—an act Ukrainian officials have labeled a grave war crime. Additionally, local authorities in the Sumy region reported that a Russian drone strike targeted an ambulance, injuring three medics.

On the other side of the front, the Russian defence ministry alleges that Ukrainian forces committed 1,971 violations, citing attempted counter-attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk region and operations in the Pokrovsk area.

While President Volodymyr Zelensky initially expressed hope that the ceasefire could serve as a bridge to stalled peace negotiations, Moscow has already signaled that its offensive operations will resume in full force on Monday.

Despite a prisoner swap involving 175 individuals from each side, the reality on the ground remains unchanged: the conflict, which has persisted since 2022, continues to defy diplomatic efforts as both nations remain locked in a cycle of reciprocal aggression.

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