The Russian defence ministry said it recorded 1,971 ceasefire violations overnight, while Ukraine’s general staff reported 479 shelling attacks and more than 1,700 drone strikes by Russian troops.
According to the calendar of the Orthodox faith dominant in both countries, Easter was celebrated this year yesterday.
A soldier from Ukraine’s 65th brigade fighting in Zaporizhzhia said Russian reconnaissance drones were still circling the area despite the ceasefire, blocking efforts to recover the bodies of fallen troops.
“We wanted to evacuate our fallen comrades today, but (the Russians) are not letting us do so just yet,” the soldier, known by the call sign Spider, said at a candle-lit military Easter service.
Both sides continued to report what they described as violations of the ceasefire throughout the day yesterday. The truce was due to end at midnight.
The General Staff of Ukraine’s armed forces, in a late afternoon bulletin, said Russian forces had staged 55 attacks since midnight. The General Staff report for southern Ukraine reported 17 attacks.
Ukraine’s State Emergencies Service said two civilians were wounded yesterday by a Russian drone attack in northeastern Kharkiv region. Police in the region later said a Russian drone had struck a car, injuring one person.
Russia said a child was among civilians injured in a Ukrainian drone attack on the Kursk region. The Belgorod region’s governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, reported two people killed by Ukrainian shelling and several injured in other strikes through the border region.
The Russia-appointed head of the parts of southern Kherson region held by Russian forces said Ukrainian troops had shelled an administrative building and a private home in two villages, without causing injuries.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said yesterday the truce was a “humanitarian gesture” from Russian President Vladimir Putin, but that Russian troops would resume fighting as soon as it ends.
“Putin has instructed the Russian military to remain on high alert in case of provocations,” Peskov said.
Putin announced the temporary Orthodox Easter ceasefire on April 9. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, whose previous ceasefire proposals were turned down by Moscow, agreed to the truce.
Outside Kyiv, thousands gathered at an open-air national heritage park to celebrate Easter despite scepticism that a truce would hold.
Worshippers clustered outside wooden churches to take part in the annual blessing of baskets for the holiday table. Families carried dyed eggs and paska cakes baked the night before, while many women wore colorful scarves. Some waited for the blessing as others picnicked on the grass.
Irena Bulhakova expressed her doubts over prospects for peace, especially as previous attempts to secure ceasefires have had little or no impact. “Every time a ceasefire is announced for a holiday, the shelling continues regardless,” she said.
Father Roman, a Ukrainian army chaplain who led the blessing ceremonies, described Easter as a moment of faith shared by Ukrainians in their identity and future.
“We are defending our borders. We are defending our identity,” he said.
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