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Russian UN Envoy Calls Ukraine Ceasefire “Unrealistic” Over Alleged Strike Violations
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
A ceasefire in Ukraine is currently “unrealistic,” according to Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, who claimed Kyiv was repeatedly responsible for violating a temporary ban on strikes against energy infrastructure, Russian state outlet TASS reported on April 17.
“We attempted a limited ceasefire concerning energy infrastructure, which the Ukrainian side failed to observe,” Russian envoy Nebenzya told reporters following closed-door UN Security Council consultations. “Under these circumstances, discussing a ceasefire at this stage is simply unrealistic.”
The alleged moratorium was part of a March 18 phone proposal by US President Donald Trump, who reportedly urged both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin to halt mutual attacks on energy targets for 30 days.
Putin reportedly supported the idea and instructed Russia’s military to stop such strikes, while Zelenskyy also agreed to the terms.
Despite the pledge, Russia’s Ministry of Defense has since accused Ukraine of continuing to strike Russian energy sites.
The Kremlin, in turn, has blamed Kyiv for undermining the agreement and said it would “send certain signals” to its American counterparts.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine refuted the Russian Ministry of Defense’s claims about Ukraine allegedly violating the terms of the ceasefire on attacks against energy infrastructure.
In turn, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Heorhii Tykhyi stated that Russia violated the energy ceasefire more than 30 times, damaging energy infrastructure.
In addition, Russia has repeatedly targeted the Ukrainian civilian population with drone and missile strikes. On the morning of April 13, 2025, Russian forces launched two ballistic missiles at the city center of Sumy, Ukraine. The strike occurred during Palm Sunday when the streets were filled with civilians. According to Ukrainian officials, the attack killed at least 34 people, including two children, and injured 117 others, among them 15 children.
Russian missile also struck in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, resulting in the deaths of 19 civilians, including nine children.
The attack carried out on April 4, was described by the UN as the deadliest single strike against children since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The most recent attack was carried out on Kharkiv, when Russia launched a missile attack on the city, striking residential neighborhoods with ballistic missiles reportedly equipped with cluster munitions.
The airstrike left at least one person dead and more than 98 injured, with the number of victims continuing to rise as emergency services search through the rubble.
Earlier, reports emerged that the United States would halt its efforts to mediate a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine within days unless there are clear indications that a deal is possible, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said speaking in Paris following meetings with European and Ukrainian officials.
Rubio noted that President Donald Trump remains open to a negotiated settlement but emphasized that Washington is prepared to shift focus if meaningful progress is not made soon.
“If both sides are serious about peace, we are ready to assist. Otherwise, we will move on,” Rubio stated.
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-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
