Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy reiterates truce offer ahead of Orthodox Easter
Ukrainian president says Russia unlikely to accept – ‘for them, nothing is sacred’; Australian police arrest army reservist for joining war. What we know on day 1,504 Ukraine’s president has renewed his offer to Russia of a mutual ceasefire on strikes against energy infrastructure . “If Russia is ready to stop strikes on our energy infrastructure, we will respond in kind,” he said. “This proposal has been conveyed to the Russian side through the Americans.” Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered last week to observe a ceasefire for Easter, which Orthodox adherents mark on Sunday (13 April) in Russia and Ukraine. In his remarks on Monday, after an overnight attack on the Black Sea port of Odesa killed three people and injured at least 16 , Zelenskyy said Russia appeared unwilling to agree to the ceasefire. “We have repeatedly proposed to Russia a ceasefire at least for Easter,” he said. “But for them, all times are the same. Nothing is sacred.” Ukrainian drones attacked the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s oil shipping terminal in southern Russia early on Monday, damaging a mooring point and setting four oil tanks on fire, the Russian defence ministry claimed. The Ukrainian army said it had attacked a different terminal in the port of Novorossiysk – without mentioning the CPC, which did not immediately comment. The CPC pipeline handles about 1% of the world’s oil supplies, as well as about 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil exports. A reservist in the Australian army has been charged after allegedly working as a drone
On the 1,504th day of the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated his offer for a mutual ceasefire on strikes against energy infrastructure, coinciding with the Orthodox Easter holiday. Zelenskyy emphasized that Russia was unlikely to accept the proposal, stating, “For them, nothing is sacred.” The ceasefire offer, initially made last week, aimed to pause hostilities at least during the Easter period, which falls on Sunday, April 13th, in both Russia and Ukraine.
In a statement delivered on Monday, following an overnight attack on the Black Sea port of Odesa that left three dead and at least 16 injured, Zelenskyy expressed disappointment over Russia's apparent unwillingness to agree to the ceasefire. He highlighted that Ukraine had repeatedly proposed a temporary halt to hostilities, but Russia had shown no inclination to respect the sacred nature of the holiday. “We have repeatedly proposed to Russia a ceasefire at least for Easter,” Zelenskyy said. “But for them, all times are the same. Nothing is sacred.”
The same day, Ukrainian drones targeted an oil shipping terminal in southern Russia, damaging a mooring point and setting four oil tanks on fire, according to the Russian defense ministry. The Ukrainian army claimed responsibility for an attack on a different terminal in the port of Novorossiysk, though they did not explicitly mention the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which operates the pipeline handling about 1% of the world’s oil supplies and 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil exports. The CPC did not immediately comment on the incident.
Meanwhile, in Australia, a 25-year-old army reservist from Adelaide was arrested and charged with working as a drone operator for Ukraine without authorization. The man, from Felixstow in South Australia, faces up to two decades in jail if found guilty. This marks the first time someone has been charged under Australian laws that restrict defense personnel from working with foreign militaries, governments, or companies without proper authorization. The case highlights the evolving nature of modern warfare and the challenges posed by individuals seeking to contribute to conflicts outside their home countries.
As the conflict in Ukraine continues to escalate, Zelenskyy’s ceasefire proposal serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of the war and the need for both sides to find a path toward peace. With no signs of Russia being willing to halt its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, the prospects of a temporary truce during Easter remain uncertain. The ongoing hostilities have also drawn international attention to the role of individuals and foreign volunteers in the conflict, raising questions about legal and ethical boundaries in times of war.
