‘We need real peace’: Easter truce fails to lift grim mood in war-torn Ukraine
We need real peace: Easter truce fails to lift grim mood in war-torn Ukraine
On Saturday, a temporary halt in hostilities between Russia and Ukraine was announced, yet within minutes, the peace was shattered by air raid alarms in the Kharkiv region. The pause, meant to last until Easter Monday, has not brought much respite, as fighting continues along the frontlines. Officials report several breaches of the ceasefire, though no major attacks with long-range missiles or drones have been recorded so far.
Church service amid uncertainty
Residents in Kharkiv gathered at St John the Theologian Church for an Easter ritual, carrying baskets of decorated eggs, iced cakes, and sausages. The event, usually held at midnight, was moved to mid-afternoon due to ongoing curfews. Despite the festive preparations, doubt lingers among attendees. “Do you believe them?” one priest, Fr Viktor, asked, reflecting on the reliability of Russian promises. The church, damaged early in the war, still bears the marks of its ordeal with boarded windows.
“Hope is a fragile thing here. We’ve seen too many broken promises,” remarked a parishioner, Larisa.
Military readiness during the truce
Close to the Russian border, a UAV unit of the Khartia Corps trained on new equipment, preparing for potential attacks. Their commander, Heorhiy, ordered soldiers to remain alert, ready to retaliate if necessary. “Russia says one thing, then does another,” he explained. “You have to be ready.” Troops on rotation also used drones to deliver Easter treats to comrades at the front, a small gesture of solidarity amid the chaos.
Peace talks and security demands
Heorhiy expressed hope that the truce might signal a shift toward meaningful negotiations. “We need real peace talks,” he insisted, noting that Ukraine has become a key supplier of drone technology and expertise to global conflicts. However, the US-led peace process has stalled, with Trump’s emissaries now focused on the Iran war. Ukraine remains steadfast in its demand for stronger security guarantees from allies, particularly assurances of support if Russia launches another invasion.
“It’s not our choice. We used to have a good civilian life,” Heorhiy said. “Now we do what we need to do.”
Fragmented hope in Kharkiv
As we traveled through Kharkiv, the city’s streets were lined with netting to disrupt Russian drones. Yet the threat of missiles remains constant, with few defenses to stop them. In one neighborhood, entire apartment blocks lie in ruins, their walls splintered and windows shattered. Last month, a missile strike killed 11 people, reducing a section of a building to ash. Among the debris, a red rug still hangs on the wall, and photos of the victims are scattered on the ground.
“Here, you expect to die every second,” said Olha, who survived the attack. “This truce is only 1.5 days. But at least we can rest a bit.”
Despite the fleeting pause, the war shows no signs of slowing. The unit’s former members, once part of an underground music scene in Dnipro, now focus on survival, their lives transformed by the relentless conflict. The truce offers a glimpse of calm, but the path to lasting peace feels distant, as Ukraine continues to fight for security and sovereignty.
