The shooting never stopped, according to the Ukrainian military, despite the declared Easter ceasefire by Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a so-called Easter ceasefire from April 19 to April 21, claiming it would "test Ukraine's sincerity in pursuing peace talks." However, Ukrainian soldiers report ongoing attacks across the front, casting doubt on the credibility of Russia’s announcement. FPV drone strikes continued to injure civilians in Kherson, and Ukrainian troops have faced assaults, artillery fire, and drone-laid mines, particularly in the Sumy and Donetsk directions. According to frontline reports, Russian offensives did not abate, with Ukrainian forces repelling multiple assaults and enduring continued bombardment. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated Ukraine is documenting every violation and emphasized that the supposed ceasefire is either a sign of Putin’s lack of control or a strategic PR maneuver with no genuine intent for peace.

Over 600 religious sites were destroyed in Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war - Zelensky

More than 600 religious sites have been destroyed in Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 19, ahead of Easter celebrations.

“For millions of Ukrainians, Easter is one of the most sacred holidays. And millions will attend church services — though many will do so in churches scarred by war,” Zelensky said.

The president emphasized that Russian forces continue to pose one of the greatest threats to Christian communities and their places of worship. Based on wartime data, at least 67 Ukrainian priests, pastors, and monks have been killed or tortured by Russian occupiers, and 640 religious sites—most of them Christian—have been damaged or destroyed.

“But we will rebuild every one of them,” Zelensky vowed. “Just as we are freeing priests and pastors from captivity, just as we are protecting our cities, villages, and the lives within them, we are restoring hope—the belief that evil and destruction will not prevail.”

On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary “Easter ceasefire,” to be observed from 6 p.m. Moscow time on April 19 through midnight on April 21. But according to Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Russian artillery strikes and ground assaults continued across parts of the front line. Local officials reported further shelling and civilian casualties throughout the evening of April 19.

This so-called ceasefire follows a pattern of Russian strikes during major Orthodox holidays, including a deadly missile attack on Palm Sunday in Sumy that killed 35 people, and a Good Friday strike on Kharkiv that left one dead and over 120 injured.

The Kremlin stated that Putin did not order to continue the so -called "truce"

The Kremlin has confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not issue an order to extend the so-called "Easter truce" beyond midnight on April 21 — a ceasefire that Russian forces failed to observe during its declared duration.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, speaking to TASS, stated that "no instructions were given" by Putin to prolong the temporary halt in hostilities.