Easter 2026 in Ukraine will be held under increased security measures and restrictions

In 2026, Easter celebrations and memorial days in Ukraine will be held in strict compliance with security measures caused by the ongoing full-scale war. According to the RBC-Ukraine portal, significant restrictions on visiting churches and cemeteries are being imposed in a number of regions due to constant shelling and mine threats.

According to the established dates, Christians of the Western rite will celebrate the Bright Resurrection on April 5, and the Eastern rite — on April 12. In this regard, local authorities have introduced differentiated rules. In particular, in Kharkiv region access to a number of cemeteries that are in the range of enemy drones is closed. In Bogodukhov community, mass recreation near water bodies and visiting cemeteries within a 5-kilometer zone from the border with the Russian Federation is completely prohibited.

The most stringent restrictions are in effect in Donetsk region. In Druzhkivka, where hits to temples have been recorded, a complete ban on mass events has been imposed, and a curfew is in place from 15:00 to 11:00. In the Kherson region, where 43 religious sites have already been damaged, the Council of Churches recommended refraining from worship services during the curfew, and the consecration of baskets to be held outdoors without crowds.

In Kyiv region, the curfew on the holiday night will remain unchanged (from 00:00 to 05:00). The authorities recommend holding night services in online format, limiting the presence of clergy in churches to 10 people. In Vinnitsa region, the Defense Council banned processions and pilgrimages outside religious buildings until December 2026.

Despite the restrictions, for the convenience of citizens in Dnipro, Mykolayiv, Ternopil and Poltava, additional bus routes to cemeteries open to the public have been organized. In Kropyvnytskyi the possibility of temporary reduction of curfew on the holiday night for the convenience of believers is being considered.

Against the background of preparations for the holiday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed readiness for an Easter truce, proposing a temporary ceasefire. However, as the publication noted, the Kremlin reacted to this initiative with restraint, not finding the proposal sufficiently justified.