UKRAINE has blasted Vladimir Putin over his bogus ‘Easter truce’ and accused the despot of launching dozens of destructive attacks today.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has hit out at Russia for continuing to pummel the Ukrainian frontlines with countless drone attacks and targeted assaults.
ReutersA crumbling building in the frontline town of Kostiantynivka, Donetsk overnight after continued Russian assaults[/caption]
GettyVladimir Putin attending an Easter service in Russia as his men continue to attack the Ukrainian frontlines[/caption]
ReutersA Donetsk resident walks past a battered building on Saturday which was damaged by Russia[/caption]
Ukraine’s brave leader took to X to reveal the truth behind Putin’s sham peace proposal.
He said: “Despite Ukraine declaring a symmetrical approach to Russian actions, an increase in Russian shelling and the use of kamikaze drones has been observed since 10:00am.
“The most active Russian operations this morning have been carried out in the Pokrovsk and Siversk directions.
“In these and several other areas of the frontline, Russia continues to use heavy weaponry.
“Between midnight and noon today, Russian forces have already carried out 26 assaults.”
The number of FPV drones being used by Russia has also doubled this morning, Zelensky said.
He added that overnight his team reported at least 59 instances of Russian shelling as well as dozens of aerial assaults.
Ukrainian officials were also forced to issue a warning over the “threat of ballistic weapons”.
The outrage over Russia’s attacks come after Putin declared a truce with Ukraine over the Easter period.
The Russian president claimed he ordered his meatgrinder forces to halt their battlefield onslaught from tonight up until midnight on Monday.
Putin made the Easter truce statement during a meeting with the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov.
The despot said: “Guided by humanitarian considerations, today from 18:00 to midnight from Sunday to Monday, the Russian side declares an Easter truce.
“I order all military actions to be stopped for this period.”
Zelensky responded by saying that Ukraine is willing to “mirror Russia’s actions”.
He also said if Putin was serious about peace then he would extend the pact to at least 30 days.
But the Kremlin tyrant has already gone against his own word, say Ukraine.
ReutersMulti-storey residential buildings in Avdiivka stand destroyed[/caption]
ReutersUkraine has celebrated Easter despite the continued fears of being attacked[/caption]
AFPOne of Russia’s recent strikes which destroyed Sumy and killed dozens – including children[/caption]
Ukraine were also left angered over Putin’s claim that he made the truce decision over “humanitarian considerations”.
The war which he started and continues to cause has already led to the tragic deaths of countless men and women.
Children and innocent civilians have been caught up in Russia’s horror campaign of violence since the full scale invasion in 2022.
One of the most haunting strikes ordered by Putin came only a week ago.
The heartless dictator killed 34 people – including young kids – in a Russian missile attack on Sumy on Palm Sunday.
These constant assaults on Ukraine have raised serious fears over what it may take for Putin to ever stop the conflict.
It is the first time Russia has spoke about allowing for a period of peace since Putin’s increased invasion first kicked off.
An “Easter truce” between the two nations has been on the cards before.
Just months into the barbaric attack, a proposal was made to halt the fighting between April 21 and 25.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made the terms for a temporary truce which would allow for the “opening of a series of humanitarian corridors” to allow civilians to safely leave.
However, Russia refused the truce as they believed it would only be used to allow Kyiv to regroup and refocus.
This weekend also marks the largest exchange of prisoners for both sides in the conflict.
The Russian defence ministry said 246 Russian servicemen were returned “from the territory controlled by the Kyiv regime”.
As Zelensky said “277 warriors returned home” including 31 seriously wounded prisoner of wars.
Pressuring Putin
Both the US and Europe have started to ramp up their warnings to Putin as they look to make the tyrant agree to a peace deal.
Us officials – led by President Donald Trump – have asked Russia to prove to them that they have a genuine want to end the war.
Trump’s Secretary of State Marc Rubio said this week that talks over ending the war needed to progress “very quickly”.
He added the US will walk away from brokering peace talks between Ukraine and Russia unless there is a deal done within days.
His comments came just after President Trump issued his own blistering warning to Putin telling him to “get moving”.
The Republican was also questioned over his relationship with Putin on Friday.
He denied the Kremlin is playing him after they have repeatedly ignored Trump’s calls for both sides to agree to a long-term truce.
“Nobody is playing me. I’m trying to help,” the president said.
He also told reporters at The White House he is now expecting to see “enthusiasm” from both sides as ceasefire talks ramps up.
Over in Europe, Britain’s Sir Keir Starmer and France’s Emmanuel Macron have been leading the way in support for Ukraine.
Both have called on Putin to “stop playing games” and come to the table so ceasefire terms can be fairly hashed out.
The Kremlin has widely dismissed the calls from European leaders and instead warned their pleas and precautions will be taken as direct threats.
One of Vlad’s biggest issues is over a potential peacekeeping force being sent to Ukraine to police a peace deal.
The UK has announced it is considering sending troops to Ukraine for a number of years.
France has also revealed they may “mobilise civilians” to counter a looming Russian threat in the future.
Elsewhere, Poland and the Baltic states have started to sure up their own defences.
Trump’s warning to Putin
By Patrick Harrington, Foreign News Reporter
PRESIDENT Trump has become increasingly frustrated by Russia’s refusal to end the war.
Just before his envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin, Trump warned the Russian leader to “get moving” and sign a full ceasefire deal.
Ahead of the meeting, Trump said: “Russia has to get moving. Too many people ere DYING, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war.
“A war that should have never happened, and wouldn’t have happened, if I were President!!!”
Then, on Saturday night, he doubled down with a stern message for Putin.
He said: “I think Ukraine-Russia might be going OK. And you’re going to be find out pretty soon.
“There’s a point at which you have to either put up or shut up. We’ll see what happens. But I think it’s going fine.”
This week’s US-Russia meeting was the third of its kind this year.
There had been speculation that the US would set a deadline for Russia to sign a deal – with April 30 chalked as a possible red line.
A ceasefire deal known as the Black Sea Truce was brokered by the US at the end of March.
The warring sides agreed to halt all strikes in the Black Sea, as well as any action against energy or infrastructure targets.
Zelensky has since accused Ukraine of violating the terms of the truce.
APFreed Ukrainian prisoner of wars celebrate being released over the weekend[/caption]