China successfully sent the first group of low Earth orbit satellites for a satellite internet constellation from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in southern Hainan Province on Monday.
The satellites were launched at 18:00 (Beijing Time) by a Long March-5B carrier rocket with a Yuanzheng-2 (Expedition-2) upper stage atop the rocket. The satellites have already entered their preset orbits.
The launch marked the 552nd mission of the Long March series of carrier rockets.
China launches internet satellite constellation
Russia and Ukraine on Sunday accused each other of violating an Orthodox Easter ceasefire, as both sides reported continued hostilities despite a declared 32-hour truce.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said that its forces had launched strikes against temporary deployment sites of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries across 38 locations before the temporary ceasefire took effect.
It also accused Ukrainian forces of violating the ceasefire 1,971 times from 16:00 Saturday Moscow time until 8:00 Sunday.
Ukrainian forces launched three nighttime attacks on Russian troop positions in two settlements in the Dnipropetrovsk region, it said, adding that Russian forces also thwarted four attempts to advance on their troop positions in the Sumy and Donetsk regions.
According to the ministry, Ukrainian strikes also targeted border regions, injuring civilians.
On the same day, Ukraine also accused Russia of violating the truce.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that 120 battles took place in the frontline over the past day, with Ukrainian air force, missile troops and artillery units having attacked multiple Russian personnel and equipment assembly areas, command posts, and other targets.
"As of 7:00 a.m. on 12 April, 2,299 ceasefire violations were recorded," said the General Staff on Facebook.
It added that Russia launched dozens of airstrikes and shelled populated areas, positions of Ukrainian troops, and border regions.
Russian troops' shelling in the border region of Sumy has resulted in casualties, the Ukrinform news agency reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday announced an Orthodox Easter ceasefire with Ukraine from 16:00 local time Saturday until the end of Sunday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that Ukraine intends to honor the ceasefire and will respond "strictly in kind". He added that the possibility of extending the ceasefire beyond Easter has been communicated to the Russian side.
In an interview with state television released on Sunday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia will continue its special military operation after the ceasefire expires unless Zelensky "musters the courage" to make peace.
Orthodox Easter is one of the most important religious holidays for Eastern Orthodox Christians. A similar Easter truce declared last year also saw both sides accusing each other of violations, and the ceasefire was not extended following its expiration.
Russia, Ukraine exchange accusations over Easter ceasefire violations
