Ukraine-Russia Easter Truce Met with Skepticism as Attacks Continue – Without the B.S.

The Ukraine-Russia Easter truce is raising more suspicion than hope.

Despite Russia’s announcement of a 30-hour unilateral ceasefire, Ukraine reports continued drone strikes and artillery fire across the front.

What Russia Announced

On April 19, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a temporary halt to military operations from 6 p.m. Saturday through midnight on Easter Sunday.

The Kremlin framed the Ukraine-Russia Easter truce as a humanitarian gesture, urging Kyiv to respond with silence of its own.

Takeaway: Putin pitched peace — but Ukraine isn’t convinced.

Ukraine’s Reaction: Still Under Fire

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed the move as a media tactic.
He and other officials, including Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, claimed Russian forces never paused, continuing Shahed drone attacks and artillery strikes even as the ceasefire took effect.

“We will not play along while people are dying,” Zelenskyy said.

Takeaway: For Ukraine, the ceasefire exists more on paper than in reality.

Why Ukraine Doesn’t Trust It

Ukraine points to several red flags:

• No monitoring mechanism was included in Putin’s announcement.
• Air-raid sirens went off in Kyiv just before the truce began.
• Ukrainian defense units reported no real reduction in hostilities.
• A similar “holiday ceasefire” in January 2023 also failed — and was seen as a Russian ploy to reposition troops.

Takeaway: Ukraine’s distrust isn’t just reactionary — it’s historical.

Conditional Willingness to Participate

Zelenskyy said Ukraine is open to peace — but only if Russia fully halts all military activity.
He proposed that a genuine Ukraine-Russia Easter truce could be extended beyond Sunday to test Russia’s sincerity.

Ukraine’s position: respond to silence with silence, respond to aggression with force.

Takeaway: Ukraine isn’t rejecting peace — it’s demanding proof.

The Bigger Picture

This truce comes after:

• Russia rejected a 30-day U.S.-proposed ceasefire in March.
• Ongoing Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure.
• U.S. officials, including President Trump, warning of possible withdrawal from peace negotiations if no progress is made.

Still, both sides completed a major prisoner swap during the truce window — offering a rare sign of tactical cooperation.

Takeaway: Ceasefire or not, diplomacy remains fragile.

Bottom Line

The Ukraine-Russia Easter truce is seen by Kyiv as another distraction — not a serious move toward peace.

As long as attacks continue, Ukraine says it will not stand down.