**Russian President Putin Attends Easter Service in Moscow Amid Ongoing Conflict with Ukraine**
In a symbolic gesture, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin attended an Orthodox Easter service in Moscow on April 20. The ceremony took place at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and was led by Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. This comes just hours after the Kremlin declared 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.
**Discrepancy Between Ceasefire and Reality**
Despite the Kremlin’s claims of a holiday ceasefire, Ukraine reported ongoing Russian attacks on April 20. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russian forces conducted 387 shellings and 19 assault operations against Ukraine between 6 p.m. and midnight. Russian forces also used drones at least 290 times, according to Zelensky. This discrepancy highlights the challenges of implementing a ceasefire in the midst of an ongoing conflict.
**Putin’s Emphasis on Orthodox Faith**
For Putin, the Orthodox faith plays a central role in his worldview, and he regularly attends services during major religious holidays. Easter is considered the most important date on the Orthodox Christian calendar. The Russian President was seen standing beside Sobyanin, holding a thin red candle, and wearing traditional Easter attire – a dark suit, white shirt, and red tie.
**Patriarch Kirill’s Call for Peace**
During the service, Patriarch Kirill used the opportunity to make a political and spiritual appeal, calling for a “lasting and just peace” in what he referred to as “the vast expanses of historical Rus.” This medieval region encompasses parts of modern-day Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. However, this call for peace comes from a leader who has been one of the war’s most vocal religious backers inside Russia.
**Analysis**
The Easter service attended by Putin and Sobyanin is seen as an attempt to present a united front and showcase unity among Russian leaders during a critical period in the conflict with Ukraine. However, the reality on the ground suggests that the ceasefire was not fully implemented, highlighting the complexities of the conflict. The continued use of force by Russian forces undermines the credibility of the Kremlin’s claims of a holiday ceasefire.
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