In an encouraging video address  from the ancient St. Sophia cathedral in Kyiv, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy struck a note of optimism, saying  “the great holiday today gives us great hope and unwavering faith that light will overcome darkness, good will overcome evil, life will overcome death, and therefore Ukraine will surely win!’

He said that ‘the Lord and the holy heavenly light are on our side,” adding: “We are going through very difficult ordeals. Let us reach a just end on this path — the beginning of a happy life and prosperity of Ukraine.’

Ukraine is facing the ‘plague called war’ but the country will triumph over the ‘dark times’.

‘Today, we still believe in the new victory of Ukraine and we are all convinced that we will not be destroyed by any horde or wickedness,’ said Zelensky.

‘We are overcoming dark times and on this day I – and most of us – are not in bright clothes, but we are fighting for a luminous idea.’

In his Easter greeting on Facebook, Ukraine’s armed forces commander-in-chief Valery Zaluznhnyi reminded  that wars in the past saw the enemies agree to a truce on big holidays like Christmas and Easter, but  Russians cast off such offer ahead of this year’s Easter.

‘One can’t expect it of our enemy whose cynicism, cruelty, and treacherousness has had an impact on the world. Let’s hold the line! Keeping the faith in God and Ukraine’s armed forces, we will win,’ wrote the chief commander.

He also sounded confiden Ukrainians will be triumphant as ‘Light always defeats darkness and good defeats evil. We will win!’

‘This year Ukraine is celebrating Resurrection Sunday in challenging conditions – amid  a bloody combat, under shelling of towns, and providing shelter to millions of refugees,’ said Ukraine’s former president Petro Poroshenko, greeting people in his Easter address on Facebook.

Despite the bloody ordeal their country has to deal with,  Ukrainians are strong and  determined to claim the victory in this war despite, said Poroshenko, citing a Bible verse  ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’

The optimistic sentiment was shared by  Batkivshchyna leader Yuliya Tymoshenko who said Easter sees the world celebrating Ukrainians as the great freedom-loving nation that is defending others from the ‘horde’, showing ‘miraculous courage, humanism, love, and grace’

Ukraine’s fight embodies the ‘new era of freedom, liberties, and human dignity’, added Tymoshenko.

Former Ukrainian parliament speaker Dmytro Razumkov expressed his earnest hope in revival and victory of Ukraine and wished Ukrainians to have ‘their relatives in safety’ and homes ‘filled with calm and harmony’.

‘We will surely overcome this darkness together,’ stressed Razumkov.

His successor in the role of the Ukrainian parlament’s speaker, Ruslan Stefanchuk, said that two months leading to Easter were marked by ‘earnest faith, compelling hope and unbounded love’ of Ukrainians who are praying today for ‘peace in their home country’.

In a message of unity, Stefanchuk wished God’s cover to all those who are ‘in the frontline, in shelters away from their homes’, reassuring Ukraine will see its upturn  as Ukrainian people stand united in their ‘faith in Motherland, Armed forces, victory and revival of Ukraine after the war’.

Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmygal took to Telegram channel to tell he ‘as never before wants to believe in good victory over evil, and victory of Ukraine.

‘Our defenders and our heroic people are now united to drive away the occupiers who are godlessly broke into our blessed home land. May this Resurrection Sunday fill us with strength and fortitude,’ said Shmygal, wishing Ukrainians to enjoy peace and harmony in the home land soon after the Easter.