The celebration of Easter in Ukraine will be held with a number of restrictions due to the war — from bans on visiting cemeteries and changes in church services to adjusting transport traffic.
In Ukraine, the celebration of Easter in 2026 will be held under increased security due to the war and the threat of shelling. Local authorities in various regions are introducing additional restrictions, changing the format of church services and adjusting transport to minimize risks for the population. This is reported by the “Sudovo-Yurydychna Gazeta“, the PromPolitInform portal reports.
In particular, a partial ban on visiting cemeteries has been introduced in some communities of the Kharkiv region, as well as in Druzhkivka. In the Kherson region, restrictions have been imposed on holding church services during the curfew period — an exception is made only for funeral processions.
In the Kyiv region, holidays and memorial days will be held with increased security measures. Residents are urged to avoid mass gatherings due to the risk of enemy attacks. The curfew here will remain unchanged and will last from midnight to five in the morning.
Citizens are also reminded of the need to immediately go to shelters during an air raid, and churches must be equipped with signs to the nearest safe places. The responsibility for organizing the safe stay of people during the holidays lies with the organizers of the events.
In a number of cities, changes are planned in transport operations. In particular, additional routes to cemeteries are planned to be launched in Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Ternopil and Sumy. In some communities, adjustments to traffic schedules or extension of transport operations on holidays are possible.
In Odessa, the curfew will also remain unchanged – from 00:00 to 05:00, which will be taken into account when planning church services. Clergy are urged to respond promptly to air raid sirens and to direct believers to shelters in an organized manner during services and the consecration of Easter eggs. A special role in ensuring peace and security is assigned to spiritual leaders, who must inform parishioners about the rules of conduct.
In Kharkiv, the communal enterprise “Ritual” reported restrictions on access to cemeteries No. 13, 15 and 17, as well as to the Memorial to Victims of Totalitarianism due to their vulnerability to drone attacks. At the same time, other cemeteries in the city remain open for visits.
In the Bogoduhivska community, a complete ban on mass recreation near water bodies has been introduced and access to cemeteries in the five-kilometer border zone with Russia and in territories where hostilities were ongoing has been restricted. In addition, residents are recommended to refrain from visiting burial sites within a radius of up to 20 kilometers from the demarcation line.
In Vinnytsia Oblast, the Defense Council has decided to ban mass religious events outside churches from April to December 2026. The consecration of Easter baskets is planned to be held during the day on Saturday and Sunday to avoid crowds, and the curfew will operate as usual.
In Mykolaiv Oblast, believers are urged to respond attentively to alarm signals, and local authorities are urged to organize festive events without mass gatherings.
In Kropyvnytskyi, the possibility of reducing the curfew on Easter night is being considered, and transport operations are also changing: on the eve of the holiday, it will run until 10:00 p.m., and on the holiday day it will start operating from five in the morning. In addition, the police will temporarily restrict traffic near individual churches on the days of services.
In general, this year’s Easter celebration will be held under conditions of increased caution, and the main emphasis is on the safety of citizens and avoiding mass gatherings.
