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Russia and Ukraine traded accusations of hundreds of attacks Sunday, casting doubt on a Kremlin-declared Easter ceasefire that appeared to be unraveling less than a day after it began.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a 32-hour ceasefire for the Orthodox Easter holiday, ordering forces to halt fighting from Saturday afternoon through the end of Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to honor the pause but warned Kyiv would respond quickly to any violations.
The holiday ceasefire, however, appeared to be short-lived.
Ukraine’s military said it had logged 2,299 ceasefire violations by early Sunday morning, including assaults, shelling and small drone activity, though it noted no use of long-range drones, missiles or guided bombs.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin crosses himself during the Orthodox Easter service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow on April 12, 2026. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)
A Ukrainian officer told The Associated Press that Russian troops continued attacking positions despite the declared truce.
Russia’s Defense Ministry fired back, accusing Ukrainian forces of 1,971 violations, including drone strikes in the border regions of Kursk and Belgorod that allegedly injured civilians.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks during a press conference in Bucharest, Romania, on March 12, 2026. (Octav Ganea/Inquam Photos/Reuters)
The head of Russia’s Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said Sunday that the bodies of two civilians have been recovered following an alleged Ukrainian attack on Saturday.
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The dueling claims highlight the deep mistrust between the two sides and underscore the difficulty of enforcing even temporary pauses in fighting.
Past ceasefire attempts have collapsed quickly, with both nations routinely blaming each other. A similar truce declared by Putin last Easter also unraveled amid accusations of violations from both sides.
An Easter bread with a candle covered by dust is seen inside a damaged apartment after a Russian drone strike in Sumy, Ukraine, on April 11, 2026. (Ukrainian Emergency Service/AP)
Irena Bulhakova told The Associated Press at a holiday gathering outside Kyiv that she had her doubts about any ceasefires as Russia’s four-year war on Ukraine drags on.
“Every time a ceasefire is announced for a holiday, the shelling continues regardless,” she said.
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Reflecting on the meaning of the Orthodox Easter holiday, she added: “Good triumphs over darkness, and we hope for that very much.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.