Ukraine’s military says Russian forces carried out thousands of attacks during Moscow’s declared Easter ceasefire, casting doubt on the effectiveness of the unilateral pause.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as of 07:00 on 12 April, a total of 2,299 violations of the ceasefire had been recorded since it came into effect at 16:00 on 11 April.
These included 28 assault actions, 479 instances of shelling, 747 strikes by loitering munitions such as Lancet and Molniya drones, and 1,045 FPV drone attacks. By the end of 11 April alone, Ukrainian forces had already documented 1,723 violations after the truce formally began.
The General Staff said the scale of drone use remained particularly high, with hundreds of kamikaze and FPV strikes recorded within hours of the ceasefire taking effect. At the same time, no missile strikes, guided aerial bombs, or Shahed-type long-range drones were reported during the truce window.
Despite the declared pause, Ukrainian officials said Russian forces continued offensive actions across the front, including dozens of assault attempts and sustained artillery fire targeting both military positions and populated areas.
Russia rejected Ukraine's truce proposal – then announced its own
Russia announced the Easter ceasefire days after rejecting Ukraine’s earlier proposal for a holiday truce. According to TASS, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a halt to combat operations from the evening of 11 April through 12 April, while instructing troops to remain ready to respond.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv would act “symmetrically,” reiterating that Ukraine had already proposed a ceasefire and remains open to extending it if Russia genuinely halts attacks.
The timing of the declaration coincided with diplomatic contacts between Moscow and Washington, including a visit by Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev to discuss a potential peace framework and sanctions policy.
Last year’s Easter truce
A similar ceasefire declared by Russia during Easter 2025 was also widely violated.
Ukrainian authorities reported more than 2,000 breaches at the time, including continued shelling, drone strikes, and localized assaults across multiple frontline sectors within hours of the truce taking effect.
Zelenskyy said then that Russia was attempting to create the impression of a ceasefire while continuing offensive operations in some areas, with Ukrainian forces responding based on battlefield conditions.
