On the occasion of the Easter holidays, Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral 30-hour ceasefire, set to begin on Saturday, April 19.
President Volodymyr Zelensky immediately accepted the proposal and reiterated his country’s commitment to extending the truce for up to 30 days.
But on the ground, reality quickly contradicted the Kremlin’s statements.
From Saturday night into Sunday, Russian forces continued their strikes: 2,935 attacks were recorded within 24 hours. According to the report from the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, fighting was reported in several areas, including Donetsk, Pokrovsk, Novopavlivka, and Zaporizhzhia. Strikes were also launched from the Kursk region.
In a message published Sunday morning, Volodymyr Zelensky denounced the Russian strategy:
“The whole world can clearly see the real issue — the true reason why hostilities continue. Russia started this war. A clear order must come from Moscow for the Russian army to cease fire. And if there is no firm order from Russia, then there is no ceasefire.”
He reiterated that Ukraine remains ready to discuss a lasting truce, especially to spare civilian infrastructure.
This latest barbaric act by Russia once again confirms how little trust can be placed in Vladimir Putin’s promises.
It is time to stop believing Russia, which has repeatedly broken its commitments: it promised not to invade Ukraine, not to bomb civilians…
In light of this reality, it is urgent to strengthen sanctions, accelerate military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and maintain constant pressure on the Russian regime.
