Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recently declared “Easter truce” as a deceptive maneuver, asserting that Russian military operations have persisted despite the announcement of a ceasefire.
On April 19, 2025, President Putin proclaimed a unilateral ceasefire, stating that Russian forces would halt military actions from 6 p.m. Saturday to midnight Sunday, citing humanitarian reasons. The Russian Foreign Ministry communicated this decision via Telegram, expressing expectations for Ukrainian forces to reciprocate while cautioning that Russian troops should remain vigilant against potential violations or aggression.
However, President Zelenskyy reported continued Russian assaults and shelling across multiple frontlines. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he stated, “As of now, according to the commander-in-chief reports, Russian assault operations continue on several frontline sectors, and Russian artillery fire has not subsided. Therefore, there is no trust in words coming from Moscow.”
Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine’s willingness to honor a genuine ceasefire, referencing a previously proposed 30-day truce by the United States, which Ukraine had accepted but Russia had ignored. He expressed openness to extending the ceasefire beyond Easter if Russia demonstrated sincere commitment to halting hostilities.
The Ukrainian leader’s skepticism is rooted in Russia’s history of violating ceasefires since the 2014 annexation of Crimea. Despite the declared truce, reports indicate that Russian forces have continued offensive operations, including drone strikes and artillery fire in regions such as Kharkiv and Sumy.
In a related development, Russia and Ukraine conducted a significant prisoner exchange, facilitated by the United Arab Emirates. Each side released hundreds of detainees and injured personnel, marking the largest such exchange since the conflict began.
