April 11, 2025

Data Cutoff: 11:30 AM ET

Justin Young, Diana Nasreddine, Jessica Sobieski, Jennie Olmsted, Grace Mappes, and Frederick W. Kagan

The Kremlin’s unilateral short-term, theater-wide ceasefire over the Orthodox Easter holiday came into effect at 1600 local time on April 11, and both Ukrainian and Russian sources accused each other of limited violations in the first hours of the ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on April 11 that Ukraine will “observe a regime of silence” and will “mirror” Russian actions, including refraining from its own strikes as long as Russian forces do not conduct strikes in the sky, on land, and at sea. Zelensky also stated that Ukraine has created a proposal to help use the Orthodox Easter ceasefire to move toward peace.

A Ukrainian local Kherson Oblast strikes monitoring channel reported on April 11 that Russian forces conducted a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) strike against Tyahynska Hromada in Kherson Oblast within a half hour of the ceasefire coming into effect and stated that Russian forces had not stopped first-person view (FPV) drone strikes as of the MLRS strike. A Ukrainian Kherson City news channel published intercepted footage from a Russian FPV strike drone striking a civilian parking lot in Kherson City about two hours and 40 minutes after the start of the declared ceasefire. Nova Kakhovka acting occupation mayor Vladimir Oganesov claimed on April 11 that Ukrainian drone strikes damaged three cars and a house and injured one civilian in occupied Nova Kakhovka, Kherson Oblast, within roughly half an hour of the ceasefire coming into effect.

• The Kremlin’s unilateral short-term, theater-wide ceasefire over the Orthodox Easter holiday came into effect at 1600 local time on April 11, and both Ukrainian and Russian sources accused each other of limited violations in the first hours of the ceasefire.

• The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has reportedly taken control of seven of eight Russian pre-trial detention centers (SIZOs) as part of the Kremlin’s broader effort to strengthen the internal security apparatus.

• Available independent reporting indicates that Russia’s systematic use of short-range first-person view (FPV) drones against civilians in Ukraine is likely partially responsible for the increase in civilian casualties in the war in Ukraine.

• Ukraine and Russia conducted civilian prisoner and prisoner of war (POW) exchanges on April 11.

• Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area and in the Hulyaipole and Novopavlivka directions.

• Ukrainian forces struck oil infrastructure in Russia. Russian forces launched 160 long-range strike drones against Ukraine.

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