Ukrainian forces only respond to Russian attacks during "Easter truce"

Nazar Voloshyn, spokesperson for the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group, has stated that Ukraine’s defence forces are not conducting offensive operations and are only responding to attacks by Russian troops.

Source: Voloshyn in a comment to Interfax-Ukraine

Quote: "We are conducting a defensive operation and are responding only to enemy attacks and assault actions, as well as to its fire on our positions [in the context of the so-called ‘truce’ declared by Russian ruler Vladimir Putin – ed.]."

Details: Voloshyn stressed that Ukrainian soldiers will respond to the actions of Russian troops in the event that Russia violates the very "truce" it has announced.

"The actions of our soldiers and of Ukraine’s defence forces as a whole are and will remain mirror-like, responding rationally and in kind to each Russian strike," he said.

Background:

• On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 20 April. Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine does the same.
• Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would respond in kind to any Russian ceasefire, but Russian assaults and artillery activity were continuing on some fronts.
• DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts, reported that Ukrainian troops noticed that the Easter truce promised by the Russians was not being upheld on most fronts.
• Following a report from Syrskyi late in the evening on 19 April, Zelenskyy said that Russia’s Easter truce did not cover Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod oblasts, and that attacks had not ceased in some other areas of the combat zone.
• Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration, reported continued Russian drone attacks in the oblast after 18:00 on 19 April, when the Russian "Easter truce" had supposedly come into effect.

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