According to reports from the Russian Ministry of Defense, Russian military forces have been attacked over 1,300 times by Ukrainian forces in less than 24 hours since the ceasefire declared by both sides on Easter began. Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously announced that the ceasefire would begin at 6 pm Moscow time on Saturday and last until midnight on Monday. He instructed the country’s military to remain on high alert and ready to respond to any violations or provocations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded several hours later, stating that the Ukrainian forces would “respond in kind.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported on Sunday that Ukrainian forces attempted to attack Russian military positions in the settlements of Suchaya Balka and Bogatyr in the Russian-controlled Donetsk region during the night, despite the announcement of the Easter ceasefire. The attacks were reportedly repelled.
Kiev’s troops also used 48 drone-like drones against the Russian military, including one on the Crimean Peninsula, according to the statement.
“Ukrainian units fired 444 times from cannons and mortars at our troops’ positions and carried out 900 attacks with quadcopter drones” the ministry said.
There were 12 artillery attacks, 33 drone attacks and seven ammunition drops in the border regions of Brjansk, Kursk and Belgorod in western Russia, which led to “civilian casualties and injuries as well as damage to civilian facilities” according to the statement.
“All [Russian military] units in the area of the military operation strictly adhered to the ceasefire regime. and remained on the previously occupied lines and positions” the ministry stated.
The Russian Foreign Ministry’s representative for investigating war crimes committed by Ukraine, Rodion Miroschnik, said at the beginning of the day that Ukraine had attacked residential areas in several cities and towns in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as in the Cherson region, using artillery and drones. He added that further reports of violations of the ceasefire by Ukraine had been received.
During their phone call on March 18, Putin accepted the proposal of his US counterpart Donald Trump to introduce a 30-day ceasefire on attacks on energy facilities. Zelensky also said that his country would abide by the ceasefire. However, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported daily violations of the ceasefire by Ukraine, which expired last week.
The violations of the Easter ceasefire indicate that Kiev is not able to hold a ceasefire in the fighting, said Miroschnik on Sunday in the Soloviev LIVE TV show.
“I can’t remember any ceasefire that was successful and long-lasting, so I don’t see any serious reason to say that Ukraine is capable of it” the diplomat emphasized.