Wetin dey happen? Russia don continue to dey bomb Ukrainian positions with drones, even after dem declare ceasefire for Orthodox Easter weekend. Na Ukrainian military officer, Serhii Kolesnychenko, wey dey work for 148th Separate Artillery Brigade, tell The Associated Press say, “The ceasefire is not being observed by the Russian side.” E talk say for the area wey im brigade dey, artillery fire don stop, but Russian forces still dey use drones attack Ukrainian positions. Kolesnychenko yarn say Ukrainian forces dey respond with “silence to silence and fire to fire.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin declare 32-hour ceasefire from Saturday 4 p.m. reach Sunday night. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promise to follow the ceasefire, call am chance to build peace. But e warn say if Russia violate am, Ukraine go respond sharp-sharp. Zelenskyy write for online post say, “Easter should be a time of silence and safety. A ceasefire (at) Easter could also become the beginning of real movement toward peace.” E add say, “We all understand who we are dealing with. Ukraine will adhere to the ceasefire and respond strictly in kind.” Ukraine even propose make dem pause attacks on each other energy infrastructure for the Easter holiday.
But previous ceasefire attempts no work well, both sides dey accuse each other of violations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov describe Putin move as “humanitarian” gesture, but e talk say Moscow still dey focus on comprehensive settlement based on im demands—wetin dey block agreement between the two sides.
Hours before ceasefire suppose start, Russian drone strikes kill at least two people for Odesa city overnight. Two more people wound for the attack wey damage apartment buildings, houses, and kindergarten for the Black Sea port city. For Kherson, driver of public trolley bus die after drone strike the vehicle, less than one hour before ceasefire start, according to Kherson regional head Oleksandr Prokudin wey write for Telegram.
Ukrainian Air Force talk say Russia target Ukraine with 160 drones overnight, 133 of dem shot down or intercepted, hours before Easter ceasefire suppose begin. Russia Defense Ministry talk say 99 Ukrainian drones shot down overnight across Russia and occupied Crimea.
For prisoner exchange matter, Russia Defense Ministry talk say prisoner swap Saturday bring home 175 of im soldiers. Zelenskyy confirm Saturday exchange, talk say 175 service members and seven civilians return. “Most had been held in captivity since 2022. And finally, they are home,” e write for X.
Hundreds of relatives, wey dey hold photos of missing soldiers, crowd around ambulances and buses wey carry returned prisoners of war for northern Ukraine. Many dey call names and brigade numbers, hope to find loved ones quick. The crowd, many wey dey wrap blue and yellow flags, chant “We welcome you!” as the weary returnees in blue jackets reach through windows shake hands and embrace well-wishers. Family members also hold up portraits of others still-missing, ask the freed prisoners if dem recognize anybody.
Svitlana Pohosyan dey wait for im son return. When dem ask am about ceasefire, e talk say, “I want to believe it. God willing, may it be so. We will believe and hope that everything will be fine, that a ceasefire will come on such a holy day, and that there will be peace — peace in Ukraine and peace in the whole world.” E add, “My celebration will come when my son returns. I will hold him in my arms — and that will be the greatest celebration for me. And for every mother, every family.”
Periodic prisoner exchanges don be one of the few positive outcomes of U.S.-brokered negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. The talks no deliver progress on key issues wey dey prevent end to Russia invasion of im neighbor, wey don enter fifth year.
Separately, seven residents of Russia Kursk region return from Ukraine on Saturday after Ukrainian army capture dem, Russian state media report. Dem greet dem at Belarusian-Ukrainian border by Russia human rights ombudswoman, Tatyana Moskalkova. According to Moskalkova, the returnees be the last of those wey dem take to Ukraine from Kursk region after Ukrainian army take control of parts of the region for 2024.
Ukrainian forces make surprise incursion into Kursk for August 2024, one of their biggest battlefield successes for the war. The incursion be first time Russian territory occupy by invader since World War II and deal humiliating blow to the Kremlin.
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