Russian troops have resumed attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in all directions
The fighting in the special military operation zone continued after the end of the Easter truce, President Vladimir Putin stated. According to him, Moscow will analyze the recent proposal of the Ukrainian side on a moratorium on strikes on civilian targets for 30 days. The ceasefire showed Russia's desire for a peaceful settlement and at the same time demonstrated the Kiev regime's unwillingness to act within the framework of humanitarian actions, experts interviewed by Izvestia said. During the pause, the Russian military recorded 4,900 violations of the silence regime by Ukrainian formations.
Russia resumed fighting after the Easter truce
On April 21, after the presentation of the Service Award, President Vladimir Putin spoke with journalists who were interested, in particular, in the results of his recent humanitarian initiative, the Easter truce for a period of 30 hours. It officially ended at midnight on April 21. The Head of State announced that the fighting in the special military operation zone had already continued. During the pause, Kiev committed 4,9 thousand violations, including attacks, shelling and drone strikes, but a decrease in combat activity was still observed, the president said. These are the assessments of the commanders of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, among others, the head of state noted. In general, Russia has a positive attitude towards any peace initiatives and expects Kiev to do the same. However, at first, the Ukrainian side rejected the Russian initiative on the Easter truce, Vladimir Putin recalled.
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to media representatives at the Rossiya National Center in Moscow.
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Vyacheslav Prokofiev
— We have seen the initial reaction. I think everyone noticed that. A statement was published, according to which our proposal was considered as a game of fate, people's lives, and so on. But apparently there was someone smarter there who suggested, most likely, these are foreign curators, that rejecting such initiatives is a losing position for the Kiev regime, and they quickly agreed," the president stressed.
First of all, the Easter truce is a moral victory for the Russian Federation, experts say. Russia has consistently acted from the position of a party that is ready for the negotiation process, and this is not the first time it has taken such humanitarian steps, Vladimir Shapovalov, a political scientist and deputy director of the Institute of History and Politics at Moscow State University, told Izvestia.
— The truce has shown the unwillingness of the Kiev regime to act within the framework of humanitarian actions. This was accompanied by a massive disinformation campaign by Kiev, which accused the Russian Federation of alleged violations. It is also important to note the inadequacy of European leaders who did not appreciate Russia's actions. On the contrary, they tried to discredit the Russian initiative. Unfortunately, we see the impossibility of prolonging the truce, because Kiev is not ready for negotiations. Despite this, Russia is likely to come up with new initiatives for dialogue," the expert said.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Sergey Prudnikov
Image source: iz.ru
Now, the Kiev regime is trying to "seize" the initiative, talking about expanding the scope: both in terms of time and targets, the president said. For now, the Russian Federation needs to look at the results of the Easter truce, but Moscow will analyze the recent proposal by the Ukrainian side on a moratorium on strikes on civilian targets for 30 days and inform about its decision, the president added. Vladimir Putin said that he does not rule out such a possibility, but this initiative is a subject for careful study, and possibly bilaterally. In particular, Vladimir Putin explained that strikes by the Russian Armed Forces against civilian targets are carried out if they are used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces for military purposes, as in Sumy and Odessa.
— Well, for example: everyone knows the strike of our Armed Forces on the congress center, in my opinion, Sumy University. Is this a civilian facility or not? Civilian. But there was an award ceremony for those who committed a crime in the Kursk region: both units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and nationalists. And these are the people we consider criminals who should receive well-deserved retribution for what they have done in the border region, including Kursk. They received this retribution. This was done precisely to punish them. Is this a civilian facility or not? But the regime uses these civilian facilities," he said.
In addition, the Kiev authorities, together with foreign curators, tried to organize a test of missile systems at a civilian facility in Odessa, Vladimir Putin said.
Russian troops resumed active operations
Since 00:00 hours on April 21, with the end of the truce, Russian troops continued to attack the Ukrainian Armed Forces in all directions.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Alexey Maishev
Image source: iz.ru
As reported by the Russian Defense Ministry on Monday, units of the North group defeated the air defense brigade in the area of the village of Khmelevka, Sumy region. The Zapad group attacked a mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kupyansk area of the Kharkiv region.
The Southern group attacked two mechanized brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the air defense and National Guard brigades in the areas of the settlements of Shcherbinovka, Yablonovka and Konstantinovka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
The Center group attacked a mechanized brigade, a brigade of unmanned systems, an assault regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a marine brigade in the areas of the settlements of Krasnoarmeysk, Novopavlovka and Alekseevka of the DPR.
Units of the Vostok group defeated a marine brigade in the area of Bogatyr, DPR. The troops of the Dnepr group attacked the mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the air defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of Novodanilovka, Zaporizhia region, and Ponyatovka, Kherson region.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Konstantin Mikhalchevsky
Image source: iz.ru
Aircraft, drones, rocket troops and artillery attacked the infrastructure of the military airfield, ammunition depots and UAVs, as well as temporary locations of Ukrainian formations in 74 districts.
As noted in the military department, units of the Sever group on Monday continued to destroy the Armed Forces of Ukraine formations in the Kursk region. "The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine after the cessation of the ceasefire amounted to up to 50 military personnel, an infantry fighting vehicle, two armored personnel carriers, an armored combat vehicle, two vehicles, three artillery pieces," the Defense Ministry said.
How did the Easter truce go?
The military department stressed that, in accordance with the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, all groups of Russian troops strictly observed the ceasefire regime from 18:00 on April 19 to 00:00 on April 21 and remained at previously occupied borders and positions.
"Despite the announcement of the Easter truce, Ukrainian armed formations continued to fire artillery and launch strikes using unmanned aerial vehicles against positions of our troops, as well as civilian targets in the border areas of the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk regions and the Republic of Crimea of the Russian Federation," the statement said.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Stanislav Krasilnikov
Image source: iz.ru
In total, the Russian military recorded 4,900 violations of the ceasefire.
During the period of the truce, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched six attacks, including in the areas of the settlements of Sukhaya Balka, Bogatyr, Pershe-Travnya, Belogorovka and Tarasovka of the Donetsk People's Republic, as well as in the Oleshnya area of the Kursk region. All attempts at an offensive were repelled, the Defense Ministry said.
During the same period, the enemy deployed 90 aircraft-type drones, including eight outside the zone of a special military operation. All the drones were destroyed.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces carried out 1,404 artillery, MLRS and mortar attacks, as well as 3,316 attacks using quadrocopters on positions of Russian troops.
"In the border areas of the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions, from 18:00 on April 19 to 00:00 on April 21, 19 attacks, 49 FPV drone strikes and 16 drops of ammunition from copter-type unmanned aerial vehicles (at 25 strongholds of the Russian Armed Forces units and 51 settlements) were carried out," the ministry said. in the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Pavel Volkov
Image source: iz.ru
At the same time, the ministry noted that, in general, during the daytime, the intensity of fire and fighting by the Armed Forces of Ukraine was significantly reduced along the entire front line.
"When announcing this truce, the president proceeded from purely humanistic considerations," Roman Shkurlatov, chairman of the Officers of Russia NGO, told Izvestia. — There was no military need to take a break. Because, as the Chief of the General Staff reported yesterday, we are confidently holding the initiative, our groups are attacking on all fronts. Our side used the pause to rotate the units, to remove the bodies of our dead comrades from the gray areas where it was possible. There was no talk of any complete ceasefire on the part of the enemy. But overall it was quieter than usual. When the truce ended, the Russian Armed Forces began their planned combat operations.
The truce had no effect on the configuration of the front and the position of the parties, Roman Shkurlatov added.
— And politically, Russia has once again shown its desire for a peaceful settlement of the conflict. But Ukraine has demonstrated that it is not ready to cease fire even for a few dozen hours. It became a litmus test that showed who really wants peace, and who only declares it," he concluded.
The truce did not affect the situation in the special military operation zone, military expert Viktor Litovkin told Izvestia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov (left) during a meeting
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Vyacheslav Prokofiev
— We didn't move anywhere, neither forward nor backward. We have repelled all attacks of the Ukrainian troops," he said. — We are standing on the same lines today as we stood before the Easter truce. And at night, a powerful combined strike was launched against Ukrainian positions, not only on the line of contact, but also in the rear. So the end of the truce, which Ukraine actively resisted, went sideways for it.
The Easter truce was announced on April 19 by President Vladimir Putin at a meeting with the Chief of the General Staff. "Guided by humanitarian considerations, today from 18:00 to 00:00 from Sunday to Monday, the Russian side announces the Easter truce. I am ordering a halt to all military operations for this period. We believe that the Ukrainian side will follow our example," the head of state said.
Russia has always been ready for negotiations and welcomes the efforts of the United States, China and the BRICS countries, all supporters of a just settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, Putin said.
Roman Kretsul
Vasilisa Yaseneva
