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Ukraine has activated air raid alerts across Kyiv and its eastern regions following blasts that were reported in Mykolaiv early Monday. This escalation came mere hours after a temporary Easter ceasefire, initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, concluded.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy characterized Russia’s ceasefire declaration as disingenuous, labeling it a mere public relations maneuver. He noted that Russian forces persisting in their offensive operations, including drone and artillery attacks along significant segments of the frontlines throughout the day on Sunday.
The United States has expressed support for a potential extension of the truce. Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s openness to a pause in hostilities for a duration of 30 days amid ongoing negotiations.
Putin had ordered a cessation of military activities along the frontline, which was set to last until midnight Moscow time on Sunday, although no orders for an extension were issued. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that there were “no other commands” regarding the ceasefire’s prolongation, according to reports from Russia’s Tass state news agency.
As the ceasefire ended, multiple regions in eastern Ukraine quickly found themselves under air raid alerts, which subsequently spread towards central areas of the country. Kyiv’s military administration urged citizens to seek immediate shelter and remain there until the alert was lifted.
Mykolaiv’s mayor, Oleksandr Senkevich, reported blasts in the port city, though it remained unclear whether these were due to air defense systems activating or bombs detonating.
In contrast to Sunday, when no air raid alerts were issued, Ukrainian forces reported approximately 3,000 violations of Russia’s ceasefire, with the most intense assaults and shelling occurring in the Pokrovsk area, as noted by President Zelenskyy.
The Voronezh region, which borders Ukraine, also faced air raid alerts for a two-hour period as reported by local officials. The Russian defense ministry claimed that Ukrainian forces had attacked Russian positions nearly 444 times and recorded over 900 instances of drone activity, which reportedly led to civilian casualties. Independent verification of these claims by Reuters is pending.
In a contrasting tone, former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism on Sunday, suggesting that a peace resolution might be achievable “this week” between the conflicting sides.
On Friday, U.S. President Biden and Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that the U.S. might withdraw from peace negotiations without visible progress in the near term. Rubio recently met with European leaders in Paris to deliberate on strategies to resolve the ongoing conflict, with reports indicating that the White House may advocate for an agreement that would establish a ceasefire along the existing 1,000-kilometer frontline.
Notably, Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, proposed that Russia could be granted control of Crimea and several additional Ukrainian provinces. There are also indications that the U.S. might contemplate recognizing Crimea as part of Russia while offering Moscow various incentives, including potential relief from sanctions.
The Kremlin continues to insist that its initial objectives in the conflict must be fulfilled. These objectives encompass the removal of Zelenskyy from power, the demilitarization of Ukraine, and assurances regarding its non-alignment with NATO.
Following a notably contentious meeting in the Oval Office last February, Zelenskyy has been working towards mending relations with Washington. Last month, Ukraine agreed to a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire and is expected to finalize an accord later this week that would grant American access to essential minerals.
However, signs indicate that Zelenskyy is increasingly disillusioned with the U.S. administration’s leniency toward Russia. Trump has exerted pressure on Ukraine, effectively suspending military assistance and intelligence sharing, without imposing similar consequences on Russia.
On Sunday, Zelenskyy directed criticism towards Fox Television Stations, after its Live Now network broadcasted live coverage of Putin participating in an Orthodox Easter service in Moscow, erroneously identifying Kyiv as Russian territory. He stated, “Instead of broadcasting the religious service from Moscow, the focus should be on pressuring Moscow to genuinely commit to a full ceasefire and to maintain it for at least 30 days after Easter – to give diplomacy a real chance.”
In light of the incident, Ukraine’s foreign ministry has sought clarification, indicating that if it was a mistake rather than a deliberate act, an apology and investigation regarding the broadcasting error should follow.
With Reuters
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