‘We need real peace’: Easter truce fails to lift grim mood in war-torn Ukraine
We Need Real Peace: Easter Truce Fails to Ease Ukraine’s War Woes
The Orthodox Easter ceasefire, brokered between Russia and Ukraine, began on Saturday afternoon. However, just 38 minutes later, air raid alarms echoed across the Kharkiv region, northeastern Ukraine, as the fragile agreement was swiftly undermined. Despite the pause in hostilities, military and civilian officials reported numerous ceasefire breaches along the front lines, though no long-range missile or drone strikes were recorded. This temporary respite, intended to last until Easter Monday, marks four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Church Services Amid Uncertainty
As the truce took effect, families in Kharkiv gathered at St John the Theologian Church to mark the holiday. They carried baskets of iced Easter cakes, painted eggs, and sausages for blessings, forming a line to receive holy water from the parish priest. Traditionally held just before midnight, the service was moved to mid-afternoon due to curfew restrictions. “Do you believe them?” Fr Viktor questioned, reflecting on the significance of the Russian ceasefire. The church, which suffered damage at the start of the war, still bears boarded-up windows on one side.
“Easter should be a time of safety, a time of peace,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X, vowing that Ukrainian forces would retaliate “strictly in kind” to any Russian actions during the truce.
Military Readiness and Drones
At a training site near the Russian border, members of the Yasni Ochi strike UAV unit, part of Khartia corps, spent the weekend testing advanced equipment. They loaded kamikaze drones with explosives and practiced precision strikes on targets. Their commander, Heorhiy, instructed his troops to remain vigilant during the 32-hour ceasefire, ready to respond if attacked. “Russia says one thing, then does the other,” Heorhiy remarked, emphasizing the need for preparedness.
Meanwhile, soldiers on rotation used drones to deliver Easter treats and supplies to comrades at the front. The training village, once occupied by Russian forces in 2022, was later reclaimed by Ukraine. Now, the area lies in ruins, with rubble scattered across the landscape. Discussions of reclaiming regions like Donbas have faded, but Heorhiy insists Ukraine cannot halt its efforts until better terms are secured in negotiations.
The Cost of War
Returning to Kharkiv, the city’s ring road was partially draped in netting to entangle Russian drones and shield vehicles. Yet, the measure offers little protection against missiles striking residential areas. In one suburb, a five-storey block of flats was reduced to rubble by a recent attack, while others remain boarded up and uninhabitable. Last month, an early morning missile strike killed 11 people, destroying an entire section of a building.
“This truce is only 1.5 days. But at least we can rest a bit, because here, you expect to die every second,” Olha, a resident, said, recounting how she and her elderly mother sought shelter in a corridor during the attack. She showed me a video of the building opposite engulfed in flames, its remains still bearing the image of two victims pinned to the wall.
Olha’s words underscore the desperation for a pause in the relentless conflict. While the world watches for peace, the reality on the ground remains stark. Ukraine’s struggle for security guarantees continues, with allies like the US still to deliver promised support. For Heorhiy and his unit, the war has transformed lives: some of his soldiers were DJs in Dnipro’s underground music scene before the invasion. “We don’t like war. But we do what we need to do,” he concluded, highlighting the unyielding resolve amid despair.
