Russian soldiers wrote “Christ is risen” on missiles fired into Ukraine over the Orthodox Easter weekend as Vladimir Putin spoke about “neighbourly love” at a Moscow cathedral service.

At least a dozen people died in the Russian missile attacks exactly two months after Russian forces launched their invasion of Ukraine, killing thousands.

In a statement to mark Orthodox Easter, Mr Putin said: “The hearts of believers are filled with special joy, sincere love for their neighbours, the desire to do good deeds and help those in need.”

At midnight mass in the gold-encrusted opulence of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in central Moscow, Mr Putin, flanked by Sergey Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, stood holding a candle as he listened to the sermon by Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church.