ISW: Putin accuses Ukraine of ceasefire violations before formal agreement

Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is sowing confusion over the ceasefire by accusing Ukraine of violations even before an agreement is finalised and its details agreed upon.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Quote: "The Kremlin readout of the 18 March phone call between Putin and Trump stated that Putin 'immediately gave the Russian military' an order that 'corresponded' with his 'positive response' to Trump's temporary ceasefire proposal."

Details: The ISW reported that, according to the Russians, Putin allegedly ordered troops to stop attacking Ukrainian infrastructure following his conversation with Trump.

The Kremlin claimed it had destroyed its own drones in the air while also alleging that Ukraine launched UAV attacks on Russian territory that same evening.

ISW analysts state that Russia's claims of adhering to the ceasefire by halting strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure while accusing Kyiv of violations are inaccurate, as the agreement has not yet been officially implemented.

The Kremlin is exploiting the lack of clarity on ceasefire details to accuse Ukraine of violations before the agreement takes effect, suggesting similar tactics could be used in the future.

ISW notes that the Kremlin is continuing to contradict Trump's account of his call with Putin on 18 March. The Russians claimed that Putin called for an end to all foreign military aid to Ukraine, while Trump stated that the issue was never raised.

To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 19 March:  

• Russia and Ukraine have not formally announced the implementation of the temporary long-range strikes ceasefire.
• Official American, Ukrainian, and Russian statements indicate that the parties to the ceasefire have not yet finalised the details of the agreement.

• The Kremlin continues to demand that Ukraine cede Ukrainian territory that Russia does not currently occupy and to set conditions to make further territorial demands.
•  The United States, Ukraine and Europe continue to agree that Ukraine and Europe must be involved in peace negotiations to end the war, despite Russian leader Vladimir Putin's efforts to exclude Ukraine and Europe from such negotiations.
•  Ukraine and Russia conducted a prisoner of war (POW) exchange on 19 March. 

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