WEBDESK: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has strongly criticized Russia for continuing its military operations despite a ceasefire announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the Easter holiday. The truce was meant to last for 30 hours, from Saturday evening to Sunday midnight.
Zelensky claimed that within just six hours of the truce, Russian forces had launched 387 artillery attacks, 19 ground assaults, and used 290 drones against Ukrainian positions. He stated that Russia was not serious about peace and was only using the truce announcement to gain a false image of goodwill.
Zelensky emphasized that the attacks took place in several regions, especially in Kharkiv and Donetsk, where fighting has been ongoing. He called out the Russian government for what he described as a “false ceasefire,” saying that they were not interested in stopping the violence even during a religious holiday.
“Across various frontline directions, there have already been 59 cases of Russian shelling and five assaults by Russian units,” Zelensky said on social media, citing a report as of 6:00 am (8:00am PKT) from Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky.
He said that in the six hours up to midnight (2:00am PKT) Saturday, there were “387 instances of shelling and 19 assaults by Russian forces,” with drones “used by Russians 290 times”.
This is not the first time Zelensky has spoken about Russia’s unwillingness to commit to peace. He has often mentioned that Ukraine is ready to consider real ceasefires, including a longer 30-day truce. However, he noted that such proposals have been rejected by Moscow.
Zelensky’s remarks reflect the growing frustration within Ukraine as the war continues with no sign of a lasting peace agreement. Despite global calls for a halt to the violence, particularly during religious periods, the fighting has not stopped.
The Ukrainian leader urged the international community to take note of Russia’s actions and continue to support Ukraine in its defense efforts. Zelensky said his country would not be misled by empty promises and would continue to stand firm.
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