Russia using Easter ceasefire to prepare assault in Kharkiv sector, Ukrainian military says
Russian forces used the supposed temporary Easter ceasefire to reinforce positions and prepare for renewed assaults in Kharkiv Oblast, a spokesperson for Ukraine's 13th National Guard Khartiia Brigade told Suspilne on April 20.
Russia "is actively using the so-called Easter truce to amass personnel," the brigade's press service said.
"There is a very high likelihood they plan to use this pause as a pretext to resume active offensive operations."
The statement comes as Ukraine accuses Russia of multiple violations of the Easter truce, with Moscow also continuing to reject a broader ceasefire deal supported by Kyiv and Washington.
Although Russian artillery fire has decreased, the spokesperson noted that drone attacks on Ukrainian positions have intensified.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the so-called Easter ceasefire on April 19. The Kremlin framed the truce, set to last from 6 p.m. Moscow time on April 19 through midnight on April 21, as a "humanitarian" gesture.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russia used the holiday truce to stage nearly 3,000 ceasefire violations, citing briefings from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
The violations reportedly included 96 ground assaults, nearly 1,900 artillery strikes, and the deployment of more than 950 first-person-view drones.
Ukrainian units in the Kharkiv Oblast have maintained a strictly defensive posture, responding only to direct Russian attacks to defend troops and hold the line, according to the Khartiia Brigade.
"Our forces are firing only in response (to Russian attacks)," the spokesperson told Suspilne.
Russia has been pressing a new spring offensive in Ukraine's northeast, with Zelensky warning earlier this month that attacks on Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts are part of broader plans to seize large parts of territory.
"They have not changed their plans," he said, noting a continued Russian focus on Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts as well.
According to Zelensky, Russia's largest tactical gains came in late 2024 but have since stalled amid rising losses.
It has been more than a month since Russia rejected a full 30-day ceasefire suggested by the U.S. administration. Kyiv maintains it is ready for a complete ceasefire if Moscow agrees to reciprocate.
Read also: Ukraine war latest: Moscow violates 'Easter truce,' Ukraine brings home 277 POWs in swap with Russia
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