Russia’s Defence Ministry has claimed that its troops have been strictly adhering to the ceasefire regime since 18:00 on 19 April, remaining at previously held lines and positions, while accusing Ukrainian forces of launching attacks using mortars and drones.

Source: Russian Ministry of Defence

Details: The ministry alleged that Ukraine launched 48 fixed-wing UAVs overnight targeting Russian regions and occupied Crimea.

It also claimed that Ukrainian forces carried out 444 mortar attacks and "conducted 900 drone strikes using quadcopters and dropped various munitions".

Why this matters: Ukrainian forces have not declared a ceasefire but have said they would mirror Russia’s actions if such a regime were genuinely upheld.

Notably, frontline reports from 10:00 on 20 April indicated an uptick in Russian attacks, including a significant rise in the use of FPV kamikaze drones by Russian troops.

Background:

• On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 21 April. Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine does the same.
• Most Ukrainian defenders have not witnessed the so-called "Easter truce" promised by Russian forces, according to data from DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts.

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