Russia, Ukraine Agree 32-Hour Easter Ceasefire
Why it matters: The 32-hour ceasefire offers a temporary halt to fighting for Orthodox Easter, impacting citizens in both Russia and Ukraine.
- Russia's President Vladimir Putin announced a 32-hour ceasefire for Orthodox Easter, starting Saturday at 4 pm Moscow time (13:00GMT) and ending Sunday at midnight.
- Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine would honor the ceasefire, stating they had previously proposed a similar pause and would act accordingly.
- The Kremlin instructed Defence Minister Andrei Belousov to halt military operations but noted Russian forces would remain ready to respond to any violations.
- The governor of Dnipropetrovsk region reported Russian artillery and aerial attacks killed two people hours after the ceasefire announcement, with nearly 30 drone and artillery attacks on three districts.
- Diplomatic efforts to end the war remain stalled, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirming no advance discussions with the United States regarding the Easter proposal.
- Humanitarian channels remain active, with Russia and Ukraine recently exchanging the remains of 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers for 41 Russian bodies, mediated often by Turkiye.
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a 32-hour Orthodox Easter ceasefire, beginning Saturday at 4 pm Moscow time, with both President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirming their intent to honor the truce. This limited pause comes as broader diplomatic efforts to end the conflict remain stalled, though humanitarian exchanges, such as the recent swap of 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers' remains for 41 Russian bodies, continue.
