‘We need real peace’: Easter truce fails to lift grim mood in war-torn Ukraine

We Need Real Peace

A truce agreed during Orthodox Easter between Russia and Ukraine began on Saturday afternoon, but just 38 minutes later, air raid alarms echoed across the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine. Despite the pause, frontline observers noted several ceasefire breaches, though no long-range missiles or drones struck. This brief respite, set to last until Easter Monday, marks nearly four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.

“Easter should symbolize safety and peace, yet the enemy still attacks,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X, vowing that his forces would retaliate “in exact proportion” to any Russian moves.

Meanwhile, families in Kharkiv gathered at St John the Theologian Church for a traditional Easter blessing, bringing baskets of iced cakes, painted eggs, and sausage. They lined up to receive holy water, a ritual usually held at midnight. However, the curfew forced the service to start mid-afternoon. Fr Viktor, the priest, questioned the reliability of the ceasefire, saying, “Do you believe them?” His church, damaged at the war’s onset, still bears boarded-up windows.

At a training site 12 miles from the Russian border, members of the Yasni Ochi strike UAV unit, part of the Khartia corps, practiced with new drones. Their commander, Heorhiy, instructed his troops to remain vigilant unless under attack. “Russia says one thing, then acts differently. You must always be prepared,” he said. The unit also used drones to deliver Easter treats to soldiers at the front, despite their village being captured and retaken in 2022.

Heorhiy believes Ukraine cannot halt its efforts until better terms are secured from allies. “Real peace talks are essential,” he emphasized. He pointed to the Middle East conflict, where countries have sought Ukraine’s drone expertise, as a sign of international support. Yet, the U.S.-led peace process has stalled, with Trump’s envoys diverted to Iran. Ukraine continues to demand strong security guarantees, particularly for potential future invasions.

Returning to Kharkiv, the city’s ring road now features nets designed to intercept Russian drones. However, missiles still strike without warning, leaving buildings in ruins. In one suburb, five-story apartment blocks lay shattered, while others remain boarded up. Last month, a missile attack killed 11 people, reducing an entire section of a building to rubble. Among the debris, a red rug still hangs in a living room, alongside photographs of the deceased. Olha, a neighbor, recounted how she and her mother sought shelter in a corridor during the blast. “This truce is only 1.5 days. But at least we can rest a bit, because here, you expect to die every second,” she said, echoing a longing for lasting peace.