“Russian forces almost certainly continued to carry out some offensive military operation against Ukrainian forces during the reported ceasefire period, in breach of Putin’s own ceasefire terms,” the British Ministry of Defence stated.
On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly announced a unilateral 30-hour ceasefire in Ukraine. The Russian leader claimed the religious holiday and humanitarian considerations for his initiative.
However, the Russian forces continued to fight, according to Western intelligence reports.
According to the Kremlin, the ceasefire would start at 6pm local time on Saturday and end at midnight on Sunday—allowing the troops a ceasefire during the Orthodox Easter celebrated in both nations. Ukraine and Russia have tried to establish temporary ceasefires around religious holidays in the past, but have met with limited success.
“Putin’s announcement was almost certainly intended to demonstrate a constructive approach in ongoing talks, without incurring significant costs to Russia’s battlefield position,” the British Ministry of Defence assessed in its latest intelligence estimate of the Ukraine Conflict.
Indeed, despite Putin’s proposal, it appears that several Russian units ignored his orders and continued with their offensive operations. Kyiv claimed that the Russian forces broke the truce over 1,000 times during the 30-hour period.
“Russian forces almost certainly continued to carry out some offensive military operation against Ukrainian forces during the reported ceasefire period, in breach of Putin’s own ceasefire terms,” the British Ministry of Defence stated.
To be sure, there was a decrease in the overall fighting tempo. But there was not a complete cessation of hostilities for the duration of the ceasefire, as Moscow indicated.
“It is likely that the overall tempo of military activity across the frontline decreased,” the British Ministry of Defence added.
“Despite President Putin’s promise of a 30 hour pause in fighting, I can confirm that Defence Intelligence has found, and I quote, ‘no indication that a ceasefire on the front line was observed over the Easter period,’” British Defence Secretary John Healy stated during an address to British lawmakers on Tuesday.
The British Defence Secretary went on to reveal that the Russian forces had fired 10,000 missiles and drones into Ukraine in less than four months. Some of these missiles and drones came from the Black Sea, where the two combatants have agreed to pause hostilities.
“So while Putin has said he declared an Easter truce, he broke it. While Putin says he wants peace, he has rejected a full ceasefire. And while Putin says he wants to put an end to the fighting, he continues to play for time in the negotiations,” Healy added.
The two combatants have been engaged in ceasefire negotiations for several weeks now. The United States is mediating the talks, but progress has been limited thus far.
The behavior of the Russian forces in this context is important because of the ongoing peace negotiations. If the Russian military, paramilitary units, and pro-Russian separatist rebels do not follow the Kremlin’s direct orders, then an official ceasefire would be difficult to blossom.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Shutterstock / miss.cabul.
