Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin are each accusing the other of breaking a supposed Easter ceasefire.
Despite the Russian president's declaration of a truce on Saturday, set to be in place until midnight on Sunday, the Ukrainian president said in a post on X on Easter morning: “Between 6pm yesterday and midnight today, there were 387 instances of shelling and 19 assaults by Russian forces. Drones were used by Russians 290 times.”
Mr Zelensky later accused Russia of stepping up its attacks despite the ceasefire, proving either that Mr Putin “does not have full control over his army” or that the truce is merely a PR exercise.
Russia's defence ministry then claimed that Ukraine had broken the ceasefire more than a thousand times, inflicting damages to infrastructure and causing civilian deaths.
“Now is the moment for Putin to show he is serious about peace by ending his horrible invasion,” the British foreign ministry said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has brought home hundreds of its soldiers in an exchange of prisoners of war with Russia.
Read More
Key Points
- Zelensky accuses Putin of breaking Easter ceasefire
- Ukraine claims Russia launches hundreds of attacks despite Easter truce
- Blasts reported in Russian-controlled Donetsk amid Easter ceasefire
- Russia steps up attacks proving Putin has no control or truce is PR exercise, Zelensky says
- UK and Italy urge Russia to accept full ceasefire
- Russia and Ukraine swap over 500 prisoners
Russia steps up Ukraine attacks proving Putin has no control over army or truce is PR exercise, Zelensky says
11:29
,
Tara Cobham
Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of stepping up its attacks despite the Easter ceasefire it declared, proving either that Vladimir Putin “does not have full control over his army” or that the truce is merely a PR exercise.
The Ukrainian president wrote on X on Sunday morning that Russia had launched 26 assaults from midnight up until midday local time (9am GMT).
"Either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favourable PR coverage," Mr Zelensky's post said.
A new report by Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi on the frontline as of 12:00 p.m. on Easter Day.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 20, 2025
Despite Ukraine declaring a symmetrical approach to Russian actions, an increase in Russian shelling and the use of kamikaze drones has been observed since 10:00 a.m. – with FPV drone…
Putin shown to be 'sole cause' of war, Zelensky argues
11:00
Volodymyr Zelensky said that some areas were quieter since the ceasefire was announced, which he claimed showed Vladimir Putin to be the "sole cause" of the war.
"The moment Putin actually ordered a reduction in the intensity and brutality of attacks, fighting and killings decreased. The sole cause of this war and of its prolongation lies in Russia," the Ukrainian president wrote on X.
A report by the Commander-in-Chief.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 19, 2025
We are documenting the actual situation on all directions. The Kursk and Belgorod regions — Easter statements by Putin did not extend to this territory. Hostilities continue, and Russian strikes persist. Russian artillery can still be heard…
Ukraine shoots at Russian troops 444 times despite ceasefire, Russian news agency claims
10:18
,
Tara Cobham
Ukraine has shot at the positions of Russian troops 444 times despite the Easter ceasefire, Russian news agency IFX has claimed, citing Russia’s defence ministry.
Russia gained control of Novomikhailivka in Ukraine before truce, state news agency reports
10:16
,
Tara Cobham
The Russian military had gained control of Novomikhailivka in eastern Ukraine before Vladimir Putin’s declaration of the Easter ceasefire, Russian state news agency RIA has reported, citing Russia’s defence ministry.
Ukraine launched 48 drones at Russia overnight, state news agency claims
10:14
,
Tara Cobham
Ukraine launched 48 drones at Russia overnight including one in Crimea, Russian state news agency TASS has reported, citing Russia’s defence ministry.
Blasts reported in Russian-controlled Donetsk amid Easter ceasefire
09:36
,
Tara Cobham
Several blasts ripped through Russian-controlled Donetsk in eastern Ukraine on Sunday amid an Easter ceasefire declared by the Kremlin, Russian news agency reported.
The TASS state news agency, citing local "operative services", said at least three blasts were heard in the city, which has been under Russia's control since 2014.
The RIA news agency also said that at least three explosions were heard in the city after 9am (7am BST), citing its reporter in the area.
The battlefield reports could not be immediately independently verified.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a surprise one-day ceasefire in Ukraine on Saturday for Easter, but Kyiv said Russian forces continued artillery fire and called instead for an extended true halt to hostilities.
Message of Easter 'resonates in every Ukrainian heart', Zelensky says
08:41
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Easter is a day that "gives us all hope" with meanings rooted in the story of Christ and a message that resonates "in every Ukrainian heart", the Ukrainian president said on Sunday.
The message "strengthens our faith, which, despite everything, has not faded over 1,152 days of full-scale war," Zelensky said.
"Each of us has lived through such moments – when it hurts deeply, when it’s unbearably hard, and you ask: 'God, why is this happening to us? The strikes, the explosions, the gunfire – all this suffering'," he said.
Zelensky said there was "God" within Ukrainians in their "willpower. Resilience. Compassion and humanity."
"This is His presence. He is within our people. And so, there is light in people," he said.
Ukrainian PoWs reunite with loved ones in emotional homecoming
08:25
,
Vishwam Sankaran
'Sooner or later evil will retreat,' Zelensky says in Easter message
08:20
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky shared a special message to Ukrainians on the occasion of Easter, that "sooner or later...evil will retreat", seemingly referring to the Russian invasion of the country.
Evil may have its hour, but God will have His day. This is one of the meanings enshrined in the story of Christ. Of His earthly suffering and death – and of His resurrection, and the truth that sooner or later, yet inevitably, evil will retreat, and life will triumph.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 20, 2025
That is… pic.twitter.com/W4ChVWWFuP
"Evil may have its hour, but God will have His day. This is one of the meanings enshrined in the story of Christ," Zelensky said, adding that "sooner or later, yet inevitably, evil will retreat, and life will triumph".
"May evil’s hour end. May the day of life arrive. The day of peace. The day of Ukraine," he said.
"May there be peace. May there be Ukraine," the Ukrainian president added.
Why Moscow announced 30-hour Easter truce
07:12
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Russian president Vladimir Putin said “humanitarian considerations” were behind his decision to announce an Easter ceasefire yesterday.
“Based on humanitarian considerations, today starting from 6pm (3pm GMT) to 12am Monday the Russian side announces an Easter ceasefire," Putin told his military chief, Valery Gerasimov, at a Kremlin meeting.
The Russian president said the temporary truce would demonstrate whether Kyiv was willing to comply with agreements and participate in peace negotiations, which he said will be aimed at "eliminating the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis".
Russia uses the "root causes" phrase to refer to its pre-war demands for Ukraine to never be a part of Nato and for regime change in Kyiv.
However, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused his Russian counterpart of making the announcement for "headlines" instead of showing genuine confidence-building peace measures.
Zelensky said Russian troops continue to carry out attacks despite the ceasefire announcement.
Observers suspect Russia is attempting to curry favour with the US and portray itself as an agreeable negotiating partner with the limited ceasefire announcement.
US officials reportedly growing frustrated with Russia
06:56
,
Vishwam Sankaran
American diplomats are growing frustrated that the Kremlin officials have "dragged their feet" regarding US president Donald Trump's proposed unconditional general ceasefire, TheNew York Times reported, citing European officials privy to peace deal discussions.
Trump is also "losing his patience" and may withdraw from the peace process, Axios reported, citing two European diplomats.
The US president also said yesterday that he hopes to conclude a peace deal in Ukraine "quickly" and that if either Ukraine or Russia "makes it very difficult" then "we're just going to take a pass".
Over hundred injured in Russia's Good Friday attack on Kharkiv
06:39
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Russian missile strike on the northeastern city of Kharkiv on Friday killed one civilian and injured at least 120 Ukrainians, according to the region's governor Oleh Syniehubov.
The attack using ballistic missiles equipped with cluster munitions also damaged over 50 apartment buildings and over 30 vehicles, he said.
In recent times, Ukraine has accused Russia of increasingly using cluster munitions to cause widespread damage.
For instance, Ballistic missiles with cluster munition warheads struck Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on 4 April, causing at least 89 casualties, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
Such attacks in recent weeks are increasingly targeting civilian areas, Ukraine claims.
Police and protesters clash at Kyiv LGBTQ+ film festival
06:25
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Police and far-right protesters clashed outside Kyiv's Zhovten cinema, the venue of the Sunny Bunny LGBTQ+ film festival, which is Ukraine's first queer film festival.
Members of a far-right group called "Prava Molod" gathered outside the movie theatre in support of what they called "traditional values", according to Suspilne media.
Police detained the demonstrators after a clash broke out.
"Ukraine is a secular state where people of different faiths and beliefs live side by side," the festival organisers said in a statement.
"In a secular country, a variety of events, from theater to cinema, take place on any given holiday, and Sunny Bunny is just one of them," they said.
Ukraine claims hundreds of instances of Russian shelling despite Easter truce
05:55
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of continuing combat, including the use of artillery strikes and drones, despite announcing a 30-hour ceasefire covering Easter.
"Between 6:00 pm yesterday and midnight today, there were 387 instances of shelling and 19 assaults by Russian forces. Drones were used by Russians 290 times," Zelensky said.
A report by Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi on the frontline as of 6:00 a.m.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 20, 2025
Across various frontline directions, there have already been 59 cases of Russian shelling and 5 assaults by Russian units. In the sector of the Starobilsk Operational Tactical Group, one combat engagement…
"Overall, as of Easter morning, we can state that the Russian army is attempting to create the general impression of a ceasefire, while in some areas still continuing isolated attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine," he said in a post on X.
The Ukrainian president said Kyiv's proposal to implement and extend the ceasefire for 30 days after midnight "remains on the table".
Russia's intentions will be revealed only with full ceasefire, Zelensky says
05:47
,
Vishwam Sankaran
The Ukrainian president said Russia's true intentions for peace would be revealed only if a "complete ceasefire truly takes hold".
"Ukraine proposes extending it beyond the Easter day of April 20. That is what will reveal Russia’s true intentions," he said in a post on X, adding that only a ceasefire for at least thirty days "could give peace a chance".
"Russian artillery fire has not subsided. Therefore, there is no trust in words coming from Moscow," he said, accusing Russia of breaking its own Easter ceasefire.
"We know all too well how Moscow manipulates, and we are prepared for anything," Zelensky said, adding Ukraine would react with "silence in response to silence, defensive strikes in response to attacks".
Trump set for failure on Ukraine peace deal, former defence secretary says
05:36
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Former UK defence secretary Ben Wallace said the US president is "not actually very good at doing deals" and could be "spectacularly unsuccessful" in brokering an end to the war in Ukraine.
“I think he [Trump] is prepared to walk away because he is not actually very good at doing deals, and I think he will want to shift on from the focus that he promised he would finish this in 24 hours,” Mr Wallace told BBC Radio 4.
“At the moment it looks like he will be spectacularly unsuccessful. I think he will want to change the subject and focus on China," the former defence secretary said.
His comments come after the US president said on Saturday that he would abandon peace talks between Russia and Ukraine if there were no signs of immediate progress.
“Now if for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we’re just going to say, ‘you’re foolish, you’re fools, you’re horrible people, and we’re going to just take a pass,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
“If he genuinely wants to solve this the US has to be prepared to lead by putting assets or skin in the game. And If it doesn’t it just effectively becomes a bystander...that many in Europe are starting to think is a cheerleader for Russia," Wallace added.
A look at past ceasefires broken by Russia
05:25
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Russian president Vladimir Putin has a history of breaking ceasefire agreements, including one last month when his troops struck Ukrainian power stations just hours after agreeing to an energy infrastructure ceasefire.
Russia has violated more than 25 ceasefires since the start of its aggression in 2014, according to a document presented by Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky to his American counterpart, Donald Trump.
In 2014, Ukraine, Russia, and the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) signed the first of two agreements in the Belarusian capital, Minsk.
The deal included provisions such as prisoner exchanges, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and heavy weapons withdrawal.
But just a day later, Ukraine's defence council reported that Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions at least 10 times, effectively ending any substantive ceasefire.
Over the years, Russia and Ukraine have agreed to several ceasefires annually, often timed around Christmas and Easter, but none have held for long, Kyiv says.
You can read more on Putin's ceasefire violations here:
The Independent View | The abject failure of Donald Trump’s peace initiative is now plain for all to see
05:09
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Russia and Ukraine swap over 500 prisoners
05:08
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Kyiv and Moscow swapped over 500 prisoners of war on Saturday – the latest in a series of exchanges since the war began in February 2022.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said 277 of Kyiv's service personnel had returned home from Russian captivity.
Russia said 246 of its servicemen had been returned by Ukraine.
Ukraine's parliament commissioner Dmytro Lubinets for human rights posted a video showing returning Ukrainian servicemen, many wrapped in the country's national flag, seated on the edge of a tarmac and shouting patriotic slogans.
Russia poses one of the greatest threats to Christian churches, Zelensky says
04:51
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said 67 Ukrainian priests, pastors, and monks "were killed or tortured by Russian occupiers" since the start of the war.
Citing wartime data, he said nearly 650 religious sites have been destroyed in Ukraine, most of them being churches.
"For millions of Ukrainians, Easter is one of the most important holidays. And millions will be going to churches. Unfortunately, many will go to churches that have been damaged," the Ukrainian president said.
He added that the Russian military poses one of the greatest threats to Christian churches and believers.
"But we will rebuild all of them...Just as we are liberating priests and pastors from Russian captivity," Zelensky said.
Putin attends Easter service after announcing 30-hour ceasefire
04:45
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Russian president Vladimir Putin attended Easter service at Moscow's main church – the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour – hours after declaring a temporary ceasefire, which Kyiv accused Russia of already breaking.
"I order the suspension of all combat operations during this period," Putin said, calling for a halt to all military action from 6 pm Moscow time on Friday until midnight on Monday.
"We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example," he said.
On Sunday, the Russian president was joined by Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, and other worshippers led by the head of Russia's Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, who has been a strong backer of Mr Putin and his war in Ukraine.
UK, Italy urge Russia to accept full ceasefire
04:32
,
Vishwam Sankaran
The foreign ministers of the UK and Italy have called for Russia to accept a full ceasefire in separate statements on Saturday.
"Ukraine has committed to a full ceasefire. We urge Russia to do the same," a UK foreign ministry spokesperson said.
"Now is the moment for Putin to show he is serious about peace by ending his horrible invasion," the ministry said in a statement.
The Italian foreign ministry also urged Russia to accept a longer ceasefire.
"It is not clear how Russia will respect a short truce, while Putin must make up his mind to finally stop this war he started," Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said.
"He must respond positively to President Trump's demands and make a real ceasefire possible. Peace must be just and lasting over time," the foreign minister said.
Zelensky accuses Putin of breaking 'Easter truce'
04:31
,
Vishwam Sankaran
Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky said fighting continues in Kursk and Belgorod despite his Russian counterpart's declaration of an Easter ceasefire.
"Kursk and Belgorod regions - Putin's Easter statements did not spread to this territory," Mr Zelensky said in a post on X, referring to two Russian border regions where Ukrainian forces have made incursions.
A report by the Commander-in-Chief.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 19, 2025
We are documenting the actual situation on all directions. The Kursk and Belgorod regions — Easter statements by Putin did not extend to this territory. Hostilities continue, and Russian strikes persist. Russian artillery can still be heard…
"Fighting continues, Russian strikes continue," the Ukrainian president said, adding that "there is no trust in words coming from Moscow".
