Russia resumed its brutal missile and ‘kamikaze drones’ onslaught on Ukraine within hours of its so-called Easter ‘truce’ which ended midnight on Sunday. Waves of weapons were fired into multiple Ukrainian regions early on Monday, hours after Ukraine had accused the Kremlin of almost 3,00 ceasefire breaches.
Three people were killed in the Ukrainian region of Kherson during the 30-hour Easter ceasefire unilaterally declared by President Vladimir Putin over the weekend. Three more were injured from Russian missile attacks in the area, local officials declared. Kyiv intelligence warned troops and civilians Moscow was expected to unleash deadly ‘glide bombs’ from warplanes and more missile and drones strikes were coming.
Glide bombs, launched from Su-34 and Su-35 jets, allow for attacks from outside Ukrainian air defences as Russia can launch them from within its own territory. They can carry up to three tonnes of explosives for over 45 miles and were a decisive factor in the Ukrainian retreat from key town Avdiivka last year.
The truce was supposed to last from 6pm on Saturday to midnight Sunday but on Monday Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia broke the agreement. He said: “In fact, on all the main directions of the front, Russia has not kept its own promise,” as he vowed revenge attacks would match Kremlin brutality.
Zelensky said on Monday had Russia violated the ceasefire more than 2,900 times, launching 96 assault operations along the front line, shelling Ukrainian positions more than 1,800 times and using hundreds of drones during the course of the ceasefire. Overnight into Monday, the Russian forces fired three missiles at Ukraine’s southern regions of Kherson and Mykolaiv regions, as well as 96 Shahed drones targeting other parts of the country.
Ukraine’s Air Force downed 42 drones, while 47 others were jammed mid-flight. Zelensky added: “We are documenting every Russian violation of its self-declared commitment to a full ceasefire for the Easter period and are prepared to provide the necessary information to our partners.
“Either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favorable coverage.” He said: “Ceasefire will be met with ceasefire, and Russian strikes will be met with our own in defense.”
The Russian Defence Ministry claimed Moscow’s forces “strictly observed the ceasefire and remained at previously occupied lines and positions.” It accused Ukraine of violating the ceasefire 4,900 times, including six attempts at assault operations, 1,404 attacks from artillery, multiple rocket launchers and mortars, and 3,316 drone strikes targeting Russian troops.
The ministry said that once the ceasefire expired, the Russian military “resumed the special military operation” in Ukraine. Moscow’s military said: “With the end of the ceasefire, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continued to conduct the special military operation.”
The claims and counter-claims come as the United States is threatening to pull out of peace talks, adding pressure to both sides. In Kyiv there are fears Us President Donald Trump will further withdraw military aid.
A source told the Daily Mirror: “President Zelensky is having to tread a tightrope between exposing and calling out Russian misinformation whilst maintaining diplomacy with the US – and that has been extremely difficult.
“He knows that he has to do all he can to maintain American support if possible but it seems the Trump administration is over-critical of Kyiv whilst failing to acknowledge this was and is Russia’s war. Ukraine is defending itself.”
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