Photo : Kremlin.ru
Photo : Kremlin.ru
By Padmashree Anandhan
WAR ON GROUND
On 20 April, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin declared the 30-hour Easter ceasefire citing “humanitarian considerations” after attending midnight mass, presenting it as a gesture of goodwill. However, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed it as an illusion, accusing Russia of continuing attacks on Ukraine throughout the night. Zelenskyy accused Russia of violating the Easter ceasefire over 2,000 times, despite declaring a 30-hour truce for Easter. Both Kyiv and Moscow exchanged blame for breaching it while Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine only launched defensive, reciprocal strikes and proposed a more structured truce format. Earlier, a 30-day halt on long-range drone and missile attacks on civilian infrastructure. Ukraine aimed to mirror Russian actions during the truce, Zelenskyy emphasized the resilience of the Ukrainians and echoed that Ukraine would only engage in defensive responses.
On 19 April, on the Kursk situation, Zelenskyy said that hostilities persist in areas near the front and in Russia’s border regions of Kursk and Belgorod, where Ukrainian forces have previously carried out incursions. He said: “Putin's Easter statements did not spread to this territory.” He added that Russian drones remain active and artillery fire continues in some areas.
THE MOSCOW VIEW
Claims by Russia
On 19 April, the Kremlin ruled out the extension of the Easter ceasefire. Russia’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov said: “There were no other commands beyond President Vladimir Putin’s original 30-hour order.” This comes in spite of calls from the U.S. State Department to prolong the truce and Ukraine’s proposal for a longer halt to long-range strikes. Both sides continued to exchange blame for ongoing hostilities, with Ukraine’s top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi accusing Russia of using heavy weaponry in key areas like Pokrovsk and Siversk, highlighting the fragility of the temporary ceasefire.
On 19 April, Russia's defence ministry claimed that Ukrainian forces violated the Easter truce by launching extensive overnight attacks. This includes 444 shelling and 900 drone strikes, mostly in the eastern Donetsk region. Russia asserted that its troops strictly observed the ceasefire and remained in previously held locations while accusing Ukraine of causing civilian casualties. These come in response to Zelenskyy’s claims on Russia breaching the truce with continued shelling and assaults highlighting the short-lived ceasefire.
On 19 April, Russia and Ukraine conducted a key prisoner swap by exchanging 246 captives each including wounded soldiers. According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, 246 Russian servicemen were returned, including 15 wounded, while Ukraine received 31 wounded individuals. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the release of 277 Ukrainian “warriors,” suggesting additional returns beyond the Russian tally.
On 19 April, Russia’s Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov claimed that Russian forces had retaken 99 per cent of the Kursk region. However, the statement is yet to be confirmed by Ukrainian officials. Ukraine which launched the counteroffensive in August 2024 aimed to gain control of Kursk to leverage its potential in negotiation. At present, the situation on the ground remains unclear and has turned in favour of Russia.
THE WEST VIEW
Responses from the US and EuropeOn 20 April, US President Donald Trump stated that Russia and Ukraine could reach a deal in the coming week though no further details were given such as the terms or framework of such an agreement. He said: "Hopefully Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week." His comments come after an Easter ceasefire was announced by Moscow, which quickly was breached with mutual accusations of violations.