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Ceasefire Claims in Ukraine Met with Skepticism
(Reuters) – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed doubts on Sunday regarding the legitimacy of a declared Easter ceasefire by Russian President Vladimir Putin, highlighting ongoing military actions by the Russian army aimed at inflicting casualties on Ukrainian forces.
In his social media update, Zelenskiy stated, “As of Easter morning, it’s clear that the Russian army is trying to convey the appearance of a ceasefire. However, in several areas, they persist in their attempts to advance and cause losses to Ukraine.”
Putin announced a surprise one-day ceasefire just hours before attending an Orthodox Easter service late Saturday, instructing his troops to “cease all military operations” along the front lines of the ongoing conflict.
This announcement came in the wake of a U.S. warning that it may withdraw from peace negotiations if there is no significant movement from both Moscow and Kyiv towards meaningful talks.
The ceasefire was set to be enforced from 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) on Saturday through to midnight Sunday. However, Zelenskiy reported multiple incidents of shelling occurring on Saturday night. Early Sunday morning, Ukrainian defense forces noted 59 shelling incidents and five assault attempts along the front lines.
“Russia must adhere fully to the conditions of silence,” Zelenskiy emphasized.
He also reiterated Ukraine’s openness to extending the ceasefire for an additional 30 days, but indicated that if Russia continued its hostilities on Sunday, Ukraine would respond in kind. “Ukraine will continue to act in a mirror manner,” he affirmed.
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