Zelenskyy proposes that Russia extend ban on long-range strikes: No air-raid warnings recorded at Easter

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed that Russia extend the ban on long-range strikes for 30 days, as no air-raid warnings were recorded during the so-called "Easter truce" despite numerous violations by the Russian Federation on the line of contact.

Source: Zelenskyy on Facebook, following a report by Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Quote: "As of this hour, since the beginning of the day, the Russian army has violated Putin's ceasefire more than two thousand times. 

There have already been 67 Russian assaults against our positions across various fronts, with the highest number on the Pokrovsk front. There were a total of 1,355 instances of Russian shelling, 713 of which involved heavy weaponry. The Russians also used FPVs 673 times.

In practice, across all main frontline directions, Russia has failed to uphold its own promise of ceasefire. And almost an entire day wasn't enough for Russia to respond to our Ukrainian proposal for a full ceasefire – starting now, from Easter, and lasting 30 days."

Details: Meanwhile, Zelenskyy noted that no air-raid warnings had been issued in Ukraine on Sunday 20 April.

Quote: "Hence, this is a format of ceasefire that has been achieved and that is the easiest to extend. Ukraine proposes that any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure cease for a period of at least 30 days, with the possibility of extension.

If Russia does not agree to such a step, it will be proof that it intends to continue doing only those things which destroy human lives and prolong the war."

Background: 

• On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce, which supposedly meant 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 did the same.
• Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would mirror any Russian ceasefire. He also offered to extend the truce beyond 20 April if a complete silence of arms truly prevails.
• Ukrainian defenders on most fronts have not witnessed the so-called "Easter truce" promised by the Russians, according to data from DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts.
• Ukraine's General Staff reported that as of 16:00 on 20 April, despite Russia's declared "Easter truce", 45 combat clashes had already occurred along the front line, 20 of them on the Pokrovsk front.
• The Kremlin said that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin had not ordered that the so-called Easter truce, which the Russians did not observe anyway, be extended after midnight on 20 April.

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