Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a powerful and heartfelt message of unity and hope on Easter Sunday, a day that holds deep spiritual significance for many. In his post on social media platform X, he expressed his belief in a future free from the shadows of conflict, while simultaneously accusing Russian forces of violating a temporary ceasefire that had been recently declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Evil may have its hour, but God will have His day, Zelenskyy wrote, drawing on the themes of suffering and resurrection associated with the Easter celebration to inspire a sense of hope for peace and eventual victory for Ukraine. He continued, May evils hour end. May the day of life arrive. The day of peace. The day of Ukraine. The day that lasts for centuries. He concluded his message with the powerful declaration, Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! which resonates profoundly during the Easter season.

This message of faith and resilience came in the wake of significant hostilities, as both Ukraine and Russia accused one another of breaching a 30-hour ceasefire that had been announced by Moscow. The truce was intended to last from Saturday at 6:00 PM until midnight on Easter Sunday. However, Zelenskyy reported that Russian troops were not adhering to the ceasefire, continuing their shelling and launching assaults along various fronts.

In a separate update, Zelenskyy revealed that Ukraine had recorded at least 387 instances of shelling and 19 assaults from Saturday evening until midnight. On Easter morning alone, there were an additional 59 shelling incidents and five assaults reported across the Donetsk, Starobilsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions. Furthermore, numerous drone strikes using First-Person View (FPV) technology were also documented, indicating ongoing aggression from Russian forces. In some areas, Russia is still continuing isolated attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine, he noted, referencing frontline reports provided by Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi.

In his address, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine had proposed extending the ceasefire for an additional 30 days, a proposal he stated remains on the table. However, he warned against placing trust in Moscow's promises regarding ceasefire agreements, recalling Russias previous rejections of Ukraines offer for a complete, unconditional truce.

Interestingly, on the same day he announced the ceasefire, President Putin attended an Easter service in Moscow. Yet, there was a lack of clarity from the Kremlin on how the ceasefire would be enforced or monitored, which raised concerns about the sincerity of the commitment. Additionally, Russian officials in the occupied region of Kherson accused Ukraine of violating the truce, further muddying the waters of trust between the two nations.

Both soldiers and civilians on either side of the conflict remain skeptical about the potential for peace. Reports from the Ukrainian frontline shared by AFP revealed doubts among Ukrainian soldiers regarding Russia's commitment to the truce, while some Russian civilians expressed that they saw no reason to exercise restraint during this period.

Despite the ongoing hostilities, Easter Sunday did witness a rare moment of goodwill, as a prisoner exchange took place amid the conflict. According to AFP, 246 soldiers were swapped on each side in a deal facilitated by the United Arab Emirates. This exchange brought the total number of returned Ukrainian prisoners of war to an impressive 4,552, highlighting a glimmer of hope in an otherwise grim situation.

In his Easter address, Zelenskyy reaffirmed Ukraines ongoing struggle for peace and freedom, stating, We are united in this We fight for Ukraine together. And we pray for Ukraine together. His words serve not only as a rallying cry for unity among Ukrainians but also as a reminder of the shared aspirations for a future of peace and stability in the region.