No trust among Ukraine’s soldiers in Putin’s Easter ceasefire

KRAMATORSK, Ukraine – Ukrainian soldiers just a few kilometres from the front lines in the east told AFP on April 19 they had no trust in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announced Easter “truce”.

The Russian President made the shock announcement that he was ordering his military to

halt all combat action

until 9pm GMT on April 20 (5am on April 21, Singapore time), calling it a “humanitarian” act in recognition of Easter, which falls on April 20.

But more than three years after Russia’s invasion, there was no faith among Ukraine’s troops that the Kremlin leader would keep his word – or that any brief pause in the fighting would lead to a wider ceasefire.

“Of course, there’s distrust,” said 40-year-old soldier Dmitry, talking to AFP in the city of Kramatorsk, around 20km from the front in the eastern Donetsk region.

Even if Russia did hold off on attacks until the night of April 20, it would only be for cynical reasons, he believed.

“I think this man (Putin) is evil, a murderer, but he can do it. He might do it to give some hope or to show his humanity. But either way, of course, we don’t trust. These 30 hours will lead to nothing.

“The killings of our people, and theirs, will 100 per cent continue,” he added.

‘Play with human lives’

Vitaly, 45, another soldier also on a break in Kramatorsk, agreed.

“I think that there will be no ceasefire, the ones declaring this won’t fulfil all those statements,” he told AFP from his car window.

“Perhaps they want to somehow reduce our vigilance,” he said.

Speaking about his fellow troops stationed in trenches on the front, he said: “If there is an urgent need to open fire, they will open fire and destroy the enemy.”

If a pause in attacks really does materialise, it could offer Ukraine a chance to “regroup”, he said.

Air raid alerts were going off regularly throughout April 19 in Kramatorsk before Mr Putin’s order came into effect, AFP journalists there heard.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the Kremlin leader’s announcement as “another attempt by Putin to play with human lives”.

He did not say if he would issue a corresponding order to Ukraine’s army to halt their attacks.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine was waiting for “actions, not words”.

US President Donald Trump has been pushing for both sides to halt fighting since he came to office, but has achieved little progress.

The Republican said on April 18 he was

prepared to ditch his efforts

if he did not see movement towards a ceasefire soon.

Mr Putin in March rejected the offer of a 30-day unconditional ceasefire put to him by Mr Trump and

accepted by Ukraine.

Over the last month, Kyiv has also accused Russia of repeatedly

breaching a commitment

by Mr Putin not to target its energy facilities.

That track record has left soldiers like Vladislav, 22, sceptical of any Russian promises.

Moscow’s attacks were “only going to get stronger after a while”, he told AFP.

He pointed to

the ceasefire brokered

between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists in 2014 that was frequently violated in the eight years before Moscow decided to launch its full-scale invasion.

“It’s going to start again after a while, and it’s going to go on and on,” he said. AFP