Easter truce unraveled
A 32‑hour Orthodox Easter ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine collapsed almost immediately, with Kyiv accusing Moscow of hundreds of violations and reporting deadly drone strikes in Odesa just before the pause began. Ukrainian air defences say they shot down 133 of 160 drones launched the night of April 10, and strikes also hit energy infrastructure — operations at Novorossiysk’s Sheskharis oil terminal were briefly suspended before loadings later resumed. (independent.co.uk) (cbsnews.com) (ukrinform.net) (militarnyi.com) (straitstimes.com)
A 32-hour Orthodox Easter ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine began on Saturday, April 11, and both sides were accusing each other of major violations within hours. (reuters.com) Reuters reported that Russia’s Defense Ministry counted 1,971 violations overnight into Sunday, April 12, while Ukraine’s General Staff reported 479 shelling attacks and more than 1,700 drone strikes by Russian troops. Reuters said it could not independently verify the battlefield claims. (reuters.com) The truce was announced by President Vladimir Putin on April 9 and was set to run from 4 p.m. Moscow time on Saturday to midnight on Sunday. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine would observe it, but only on a reciprocal basis. (reuters.com) Hours before the pause was due to start, Russian drones struck Odesa overnight into April 11, killing at least two people and wounding two more, according to local authorities cited by The Associated Press. Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 160 drones in that wave, and 133 were shot down or intercepted. (cbsnews.com) Ukrinform, citing the Ukrainian Air Force, said hits by 20 attack drones were recorded at 10 locations and debris from downed drones fell at 11 others. Several drones were still being tracked in Ukrainian airspace after the morning report on April 11. (ukrinform.net) The Easter pause landed after weeks of attacks on energy sites and export infrastructure on both sides of the border. Reuters reported that oil loadings at the Sheskharis terminal in Novorossiysk were suspended after a drone attack and fire, then resumed on April 9. (reuters.com 1) (reuters.com 2) RBC-Ukraine, citing Reuters, said the Black Sea terminal usually ships about 700,000 barrels a day and that one berth had returned to service, with a tanker carrying 80,000 tonnes expected to depart on April 9. The same report said fuel oil loading also resumed that day. (reuters.com) Both governments used the same ceasefire to make opposite arguments. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called it a “humanitarian gesture,” while Ukrainian officials said the early violations showed Moscow had not actually paused combat operations. (reuters.com) (apnews.com) That pattern was familiar from Easter 2025, when Putin also declared a short holiday ceasefire and both sides said the other broke it. By Sunday, April 12, the 2026 version had followed the same path: a formal pause on paper, and continuing fire across the front. (reuters.com) (apnews.com)
