The Complex and Violent Easter Weekend
During the recent Easter weekend, the industrial east of Ukraine continued to be ravaged by the ongoing conflict between Russian forces and Ukrainian troops. Reports indicate that at least seven civilians lost their lives amidst missile, rocket and artillery fire targeted at Kharkiv in the north-east and Zaporizhzhia in the south-east provinces. Despite calls for peace, the battle for the east of Ukraine rages on.
Attacks Continue to Wreak Havoc in Ukraine
In Kupiansk, a city held by Russia, two men were reported dead on Sunday as a result of shelling. Even as Kharkiv governor Oleh Syniehubov spoke out about this violence, the city remained under attack, with residential areas being targeted by Russian forces using multiple rocket launchers.
In Chuhuiv, another city in the same province, a 30-year-old man was rushed to the hospital in serious condition after being injured in Russian shelling, according to Telegram. In Zaporizhzhia, the capital of the province, shelling killed two people overnight, including a child born in 2012. City council secretary Anatoliy Kurtev stated that these attacks were responsible for multiple injuries as well.
According to Yurii Malashko, the governor of the Zaporizhzhia region, 18 communities across the province were shelled. The attacks led to the deaths of three people and the injury of five others on Saturday. The extent of the violence indicates that the conflict between Russian forces and Ukrainian troops shows no signs of slowing down.
The Troubling Background to the Ongoing Conflict
The Zaporizhzhia province is home to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, and one of the four Ukrainian provinces that Russian President Vladimir Putin illegally annexed in September. Since then, Russia’s military has continued to fight Ukrainian troops in those areas, especially in Luhansk and Donetsk provinces, which form the industrial region known as the Donbas.
In Donetsk’s Bakhmut, the longest battle of the 13-month war has been raging. Western analysts believe that Russian forces have recently made it into the city’s center, and that seizing Bakhmut would give the Kremlin a crucial victory and a path to push on towards larger Ukrainian-held cities.
Responses to the Ongoing Violence in Ukraine
In their traditional Easter messages, both the Pope and Archbishop of Canterbury highlighted the war in Ukraine and other conflicts. The Pope implored God to “help the beloved Ukrainian people on their journey towards peace, and shed the light of Easter upon the people of Russia”. Meanwhile, Archbishop Welby stated that Easter provides hope that “true peace is no aimless daydream, but a reality offered because Christ was raised from the dead”.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces reported that Russia focused attacks on the communities of Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Marinka in Donetsk province. The Washington-based think tank Institute for the Study of War believes that Russia’s overall offensive “is approaching culmination”.
The think tank cited Ivan Tymochko, the head of the Ukrainian Council of Reservists for the country’s ground forces, as reporting that recent Russian attacks appeared designed to distract and disperse Ukrainian troops preparing for a potential counter-offensive. However, the Institute for the Study of War also noted that Russia has made heavy use of artillery to “offset key shortcomings in combat capability”, and that reported ammunition shortages could “undermine the Russian military’s ability to continue offsetting its other weaknesses and limitations”.
The escalating conflict and continued attacks in Ukraine have caused concern among world leaders and organizations. The United Nations has called for an immediate end to the violence and for all sides to engage in dialogue to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.
It is important for all parties to recognize the human cost of war and to work towards finding a lasting and peaceful resolution. Only through open dialogue and a strong commitment to peace can the people of Ukraine and the region as a whole find stability, security, and prosperity.
As the conflict enters its eighth year, it is essential to prioritize a peaceful resolution to avoid further loss of life and destruction. It is time for all parties involved to come together and engage in constructive dialogue towards a sustainable and peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
