Ceasefire Carnage: Violations Dampened Orthodox Easter Truce

Despite a ceasefire agreed upon for Orthodox Easter, violence erupted in Ukraine's Donetsk and Kharkiv regions. Two civilians were killed, along with four Ukrainian prisoners of war, allegedly executed by Russian forces. Both sides blamed each other for numerous breaches of the fragile truce amidst ongoing hostilities.

Violence erupted in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region over the weekend, despite a ceasefire intended to mark Orthodox Easter. Tragic losses included two civilian deaths in the cities of Kramatorsk and Druzhkivka, according to regional governor Vadym Filashkin.

The ceasefire violations also extended to the Kharkiv region, where four Ukrainian prisoners of war were allegedly shot by Russian forces, as reported by Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. This report remains unverifiable as Russia has yet to comment.

Ukrainian military sources reported a staggering 10,721 violations by Russian troops during the ceasefire, involving artillery shellings and drone strikes. Meanwhile, Russia cited nearly 2,000 breaches by Ukrainian forces.

(With inputs from agencies.)