The head of the Kherson region states: after Russia declared a “ceasefire,” it continues to terrorize the peaceful population
The situation in the Kherson region, controlled by the Ukrainian authorities, remains tense and even dangerous despite reports of the so-called "Easter ceasefire" declared by the Russian Federation. This was reported today on the official Telegram channel by the head of the Kherson Military Administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, emphasizing that Russian occupiers still actively use unmanned aerial vehicles for attacks on civilians in the region. According to Prokudin, Russia’s government continues to mimic a ceasefire regime, but the real actions speak otherwise. "It seems that the Moscow occupiers have decided to keep destroying the lives of the residents of Kherson, even during a time when they claim there is a 'ceasefire' for Easter," the regional head emphasized. He added that just a few hours after announcing the so-called pause in hostilities, Russian forces attacked civilian infrastructure and residents of the city. Specifically, at 6:00 PM in the Dniprovskiy district of Kherson, a large-scale shelling occurred — eight enemy FPV-drones were detected and neutralized, but as a result, seven apartments in a multi-storey building caught fire. An hour later, at 7:05 PM, in the village of Urozhayne, a Russian drone struck a civilian vehicle traveling nearby, prompting further panic among the residents. Just a few minutes later, at 7:12 PM, another enemy strike was recorded in the same area—targeting positions and civilian objects, causing additional fear and destruction. Prokudin notes that the so-called ceasefire regime declared by Russia during the holiday period is a fake imitation that does not reflect reality. "There is no lull in the region now — shellings continue, and again peaceful residents have become targets," the regional official stresses. What preceded the situation Overall, over the weekend, Russian leadership made a loud statement regarding a "large ceasefire," which, according to their words, was planned from April 19 to 21. On the eve of that, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a pause in hostilities, claiming it would last throughout the holiday period. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that Russian forces would adhere to the ceasefire only if reciprocity and full agreement with Kyiv were observed. However, Ukrainian authorities and senior military officials immediately responded critically to this statement. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attacks and shellings by Russian drones after 5 p.m. on Saturday a complete disrespect for Easter celebrations and the lives of peaceful Ukrainians. According to him, these are clear signs of the true attitude of Russian leadership towards human life and a brazen provocation. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Yermak emphasized in a comment that Ukraine had a synchronized plan with the United States for a full temporary ceasefire for 30 days as early as March 11 — and Ukrainian diplomats now expect Russian troops to actually abide by those conditions, not just imitate them. Meanwhile, the situation in southern Ukraine remains tense, and it is clear that Russia is using any opportunity to continue its aggression under the guise of a festive "ceasefire." Local residents and Ukrainian military personnel are urging caution and unity in resisting relentless attacks, which deny any legitimacy to the mythical "ceasefire" and highlight the importance of maintaining a defensive strategy during this critical period.