During the Easter ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, both sides exchanged numerous accusations of violations of the agreements. According to analytics from the Institute for the Study of War, this underscores the need for clear mechanisms for monitoring and ensuring compliance with the ceasefire.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Record Violations and Controversial Claims from Both Sides
According to the General Staff of Ukraine, since the beginning of the Easter ceasefire, Russian military forces have committed 10,721 violations. In turn, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported 6,558 instances of violations by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Additionally, the Russian appointee in the temporarily occupied part of the Kherson region, Volodymyr Saldo, accused Ukrainian forces of shelling civilian and residential infrastructure in Stara Zubrivka and Zalizny Port on April 12.
The Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, reported a tragic incident: during the ceasefire, Russian military forces executed four Ukrainian prisoners of war in the Kharkiv region and also attacked an evacuation group in Zaporizhzhia.
The Importance of Third-Party Monitoring for Compliance with the Ceasefire
“Any prolonged cessation of hostilities will require both sides to establish clear conditions, implement third-party monitoring systems, and withdraw troops from the frontline to reduce the risk of violations and escalation,” the report’s authors conclude.
ISW analysts emphasize that without reliable mechanisms for investigating incidents and effective independent oversight, adhering to ceasefire agreements is nearly impossible. On the very first day of the Easter truce, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 107 combat encounters were recorded at the front. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported over 6,500 instances of violations from the Ukrainian side. However, it is currently impossible to independently verify these claims.