Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a temporary ceasefire in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine to mark the Orthodox Easter celebrations. The ceasefire will be in effect from 6:00 PM (Moscow time) on Saturday until midnight on Sunday, and Putin has called on Kyiv to observe the truce in kind, as per PTI.
The announcement came during a meeting with Russia’s Chief of the General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov. During the briefing, Gerasimov informed the president that, apart from two small pockets along the Ukrainian border, the entire Kursk region has been retaken by Russian forces.
The area had been occupied during a cross-border operation by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in August 2024.
Putin’s call for a ceasefire is seen as a symbolic gesture tied to the Easter holiday, though its practical impact will depend on whether Ukrainian forces choose to comply. The temporary truce comes amid continued hostilities and mounting international pressure for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
