Ukrainian border guards report no letup in Russian attacks despite 'Easter casefire'

Andriy Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine's State Border Guard Service, stated this during a telethon.

"In the Sumy and Kharkiv regions, the enemy kept firing with artillery, MLRS, and drones. We didn’t see any ceasefire from the Russian side. On the front line, where Border Guard units are stationed, the shelling continued from the very first hours when the ceasefire was supposed to begin," he said.

Demchenko noted that while the Russians may have used less aviation, “we didn’t see a full ceasefire.”

He also pointed out that during the so-called “truce,” Russian forces carried out assault operations in areas where Ukrainian border units are deployed.

"In some directions, the enemy also tried to launch assaults on positions held by our border troops. These weren’t just provocations — they were direct assault operations. We're talking about specific areas, but overall, if we’re talking about a ceasefire, it wasn’t just shelling — there were also attempts to attack our positions," Demchenko added.

What’s known about Putin’s “Easter ceasefire”

Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin unilaterally announced an "Easter ceasefire" starting from 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 19.

Before 6:00 p.m., air raid alerts were active in Kyiv. Reconnaissance drones were shot down over the city’s Left Bank.

At 17:30, Russian forces launched a missile strike on the city of Izyum in Kharkiv region. After 18:00, FPV drone attacks continued in the Kherson region.

After 21:00 on April 19, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief briefed the president with fresh updates from across the front lines about the Russian army’s behavior during the truce. At that point, some areas showed no sign of a ceasefire, while others had temporarily quieted down.

By Easter morning, April 20, Russian forces were trying to create the impression of a ceasefire but still carried out isolated attacks and tried to inflict losses on Ukrainian troops.

On April 20, Russian troops also used the pause to prepare for new assault operations near the area of responsibility of the 66th Mechanized Brigade.

On the morning of April 21, Russia’s Ministry of Defense announced the end of the "Easter ceasefire" and the continuation of its so-called special military operation. It also accused Ukraine of violating the terms.