More than 600 religious sites in Ukraine have been destroyed since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 19, ahead of Easter celebrations.
"For millions of Ukrainians, Easter is one of the most important holidays. And millions will be going to churches. Unfortunately, many will go to churches that have been damaged..." Zelensky said.
He added that the Russian military poses one of the greatest threats to Christian churches and believers. Citing wartime data, the president said at least 67 Ukrainian priests, pastors, and monks "were killed or tortured by Russian occupiers," and 640 religious sites have been destroyed—most of them Christian.
"But we will rebuild all of them," Zelensky added. "Just as we are liberating priests and pastors from Russian captivity, just as we are doing everything to protect Ukrainian cities and villages and the lives of people in them, we are restoring the ability to believe—to believe that evil and destruction will not prevail."
Earlier on April 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire on the Easter weekend, ordering a halt to all military action from 6 p.m. Moscow time on April 19 until midnight on April 21.
Zelensky later said that, according to information from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Russian artillery fire and assault operations continued on parts of the front line. Local officials also reported shelling and civilian casualties on the evening of April 19.
The suggested Easter ceasefire follows previous Russian attacks on Ukraine during major Orthodox holidays, including a deadly strike on Sumy on Palm Sunday that killed 35 people, and an attack on Kharkiv during Good Friday that killed one person and injured 120.
Anna Fratsyvir
(Updated: )
