Putin’s ‘peacemaker’ performance fails to convince the West — Center for Counering Disinformation

Andrii Kovalenko, the CCD head, highlighted that the information operation aimed at blaming Ukraine for violating the so-called Easter truce “completely failed, including in the Western information space.”

“Russia itself didn’t follow the ceasefire it announced and used the opportunity to prepare for new assault operations," Kovalenko wrote.

"Fighting continued in several key directions.”

He stressed that had Russia truly wanted to end the war, it would have extended the so-called truce by at least 30 days.

“We’ll soon see whether Moscow is serious about stopping the war — so far, there's no sign of that,” he added.

Kovalenko also emphasized that Putin’s effort to sell himself as a peacemaker to the West has collapsed.

“Once again — Putin’s attempt to present himself as the main advocate for peace has failed in the information space. That matters.”

Putin’s Easter ceasefire 

Putin ordered a unilateral ceasefire from 6:00 p.m. on April 19 until midnight on April 21. However, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russian attack drones entered Ukrainian airspace just minutes after the ceasefire was announced, calling Putin’s gesture “yet another game with people’s lives.”

Zelenskyy said Ukraine will mirror any genuine truce and proposed extending the ceasefire if “real silence” was maintained.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha added that Ukraine measures Russia’s sincerity not by words, but by actions.

While some shelling reportedly decreased, Ukraine’s General Staff recorded 45 combat clashes by 4:00 p.m. on April 20 — highlighting that Russia did not honor its own ceasefire.