Russia, Ukraine trade blame on violating Easter truce

The governor of Russia’s Kursk region accused Ukraine on Saturday of violating the Easter truce, saying Kyiv carried out a drone strike in the city of Lgov.

Alexander Khinshtein claimed that Ukraine attacked a gas station, injuring three people.

“The enemy's sneaky attack occurred after 4 pm during the declared Easter truce,” he said in a statement on Telegram.

Separately, in Russia’s Belgorod region, Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said Ukraine continued to strike the region, injuring two civilians.

Meanwhile, Oleksandr Hanzha, the governor of Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, claimed amid the Easter truce that Russia carried out more than 60 drone and artillery strikes on two districts in the region, injuring one person. The timing of the attacks was not specified in the governor's statement.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported 469 cases of Easter ceasefire violations, claiming Russia carried out 22 assault operations, 153 shelling, 19 strikes by kamikaze drones (“Lancet,” “Molniya”), and 275 strikes by FPV drones after the truce took effect.

Independent verification of the claims is challenging due to the war.

Russia's Defense Ministry said Saturday that a 32-hour ceasefire with Ukraine came into force starting at 4 pm Moscow time (1300GMT).

The ceasefire was announced Thursday by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who ordered the military command to prepare for its implementation.