MOSCOW — Russia on Sunday claimed that Ukraine had committed 1,971 ceasefire violations during an Orthodox Easter truce, as the two warring nations exchanged accusations of breaching the temporary halt in hostilities declared to coincide with the Orthodox Easter holiday on April 12, 2026.
The Russian Ministry of Defence released the violation count, alleging that Ukrainian forces had continued artillery strikes, drone attacks, and infantry assaults along multiple sections of the front line despite the declared truce. Russia stated its forces had responded to what it described as provocations.
Ukraine rejected Russia's characterisation of events, with Ukrainian officials accusing Russian forces of continuing offensive operations and bombardments of civilian areas during the same period. Kyiv has historically dismissed unilateral Russian ceasefire declarations as propaganda tools, arguing they are not coordinated or verified by neutral parties.
Neither side provided independent verification of their respective claims, and international observers were not in a position to confirm the figures. The mutual accusations reflect a pattern seen during previous declared truces in the conflict, including around Orthodox Christmas, where both sides claimed the other had violated agreed pauses in fighting.
