‘We need real peace’: Easter truce fails to lift grim mood in war-torn Ukraine
We need real peace’: Easter truce fails to lift grim mood in war-torn Ukraine
A Russian-Ukrainian agreement for an Orthodox Easter truce began on Saturday, but just 38 minutes into the pause, air raid alarms pierced the skies over the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine. Despite the intended 32-hour ceasefire until Easter Monday, military and civilian reports highlight ongoing breaches along the frontlines. While no long-range missiles or drones have struck, the respite has not quelled the war’s relentless toll.
President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope for peace during the holiday, tweeting,
“Easter is meant to symbolize safety and peace,”
though he warned Ukrainian forces would retaliate “strictly in kind” if Moscow violated the truce. Public optimism is low, with many skeptical of the agreement’s durability. At St John the Theologian Church, families gathered to bless Easter treats—iced cakes, painted eggs, and sausage—before a mid-afternoon service, skipping the traditional midnight ritual due to curfew restrictions.
Fr Viktor, the parish priest, questioned the sincerity of the ceasefire, asking,
“Do you believe them?”
The church, damaged early in the war, still bears boarded-up windows. A parishioner named Larisa noted,
“Maybe there will be a pause, but then Russia will only launch even more intense attacks. We’ve seen that before.”
Nearby, a military unit from the Khartia Corps tested new equipment at a training site just 12 miles from the Russian border. Their commander, Heorhiy, ordered troops to remain vigilant, anticipating renewed assaults.
Despite the truce, the unit used drones to deliver Easter cakes and alcohol-free wine to front-line comrades. The training village, once occupied by Russian forces in 2022, now lies in ruins. Discussions about reclaiming areas like the Donbas region are muted, as the focus remains on survival. Heorhiy emphasized Ukraine’s need for better conditions in peace talks, citing the Middle East conflict’s role in boosting drone exports to allies.
Meanwhile, in Kharkiv, a ring road is draped with netting to intercept Russian drones. Yet, missiles still strike residential areas with little warning. One suburb saw a five-storey block flattened last month, killing 11 people. Among the wreckage, a red rug and photos of the deceased remain. Olha, a neighbor, recounted sheltering with her mother in a corridor during the attack. She showed footage of flames engulfing the opposite building and her home in ruins. “This truce is only 1.5 days. But at least we can rest a bit,” she said, adding,
“Here, you expect to die every second.”
