Russian attacks continued since 'first hours' of so-called Easter truce, Border Guard says
Russia reduced the use of aviation during its so-called Easter ceasefire but nevertheless continued its attacks since the very "first hours," Andrii Demchenko, a spokesperson for Ukraine's State Border Guard Service, said on air on national television on April 21.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced a unilateral ceasefire beginning at 6 p.m. local time on April 19 and lasting until midnight April 21, calling it a test of Ukraine's willingness to pursue peace. Ukrainian troops reported that they had seen no signs of the truce being honored.
"There was no ceasefire from the Russian side. It's more of an imitation that Russia wants some kind of truce," Demchenko said. "The attacks actually took place from the first hours of the day — from the moment the ceasefire was supposed to be in effect."
Russian forces used artillery, multiple launch rocket systems, and drones to target Ukrainian positions in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, the spokesperson said. In some sectors, Russian forces also reportedly attempted direct assaults on positions held by State Border Guard troops.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on X on April 20 that Ukraine is documenting every violation of the supposed ceasefire.
"Either (Russian President Vladimir) 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 PR coverage," Zelensky said.
Read also: Russia using Easter ceasefire to prepare assault in Kharkiv sector, Ukrainian military says
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