President Putin Declares Easter Ceasefire in Ukraine Conflict, Urges Kyiv to Observe Truce

MOSCOW, April 19: In a move aimed at promoting a temporary humanitarian pause during the Easter celebrations, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday announced a unilateral ceasefire in ongoing military operations against Ukraine. The ceasefire is set to begin at 18:00 hours (Moscow time) and will last until midnight on Sunday, marking a symbolic gesture aligned with the Eastern Orthodox Easter observances.

President Putin made the announcement during a high-level military briefing with General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. During the meeting, General Gerasimov informed the President that, with the exception of two remaining contested areas near the border with Ukraine, the entire territory of Russia’s Kursk region—previously infiltrated by Ukrainian Armed Forces during an incursion in August 2024—had now been fully reclaimed and stabilized under Russian control.

President Putin called upon the Ukrainian leadership in Kyiv to demonstrate a similar commitment to peace, at least during the sacred holiday period. “We are initiating this ceasefire to honor the spiritual significance of Easter and to allow a moment of reflection and respite for both sides,” Putin stated, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect for religious traditions even amidst conflict.