Russian President Vladimir Putin has introduced a brief “Easter truce” within the three-year battle in Ukraine that may final till midnight Sunday.
“On humanitarian grounds, at this time from 6 p.m. to midnight from Sunday to Monday, the Russian aspect pronounces an Easter truce,” Putin stated in a televised assertion launched by the Kremlin. The assertion has been translated. “For this era, I order to cease all combating. We assume that the Ukrainian aspect will observe our instance. On the similar time, our troops ought to be ready to mirror attainable violations of the truce and provocations by the enemy, any aggressive actions.”
Putin first introduced the ceasefire in a gathering with Chief of the Common Workers Velary Gerasimov, the Kremlin Press Service stated.
Russia’s Protection Ministry stated in a translated assertion that the ceasefire is imposed “for humanitarian functions and will probably be noticed by the Russian Unified Group of Troops (forces) offered that it’s mutually revered by the Kiev regime.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the announcement as “Putin’s subsequent try to play with individuals’s lives,” saying an “air alert is now spreading throughout the territory of Ukraine” due to Russian drone strikes recorded within the sky at 5:15 native time.
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with Russian Chief of Common Workers Gen. Valery Gerasimov throughout their assembly on the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, April 19, 2025.
Vyacheslav Prokofyev / AP
“Ukrainian air protection and aviation have already began working to guard. ‘Shaheeds’ in our sky are Putin’s true angle to Easter and to individuals’s lives,” Zelenskyy stated.
“Shaheeds” could also be a reference to Shahed drones, which have been extensively utilized by Russia through the battle.
The Ukrainian chief didn’t affirm if he would observe the proposed truce.
Ukrainian International Minister Andriy Sybiga stated Ukraine was ready for “actions, not phrases” from Putin.
“Putin has now made statements about his alleged readiness for a ceasefire,” Sybiga wrote on social media, including: “We all know his phrases can’t be trusted and we’ll take a look at actions, not phrases.”
Earlier makes an attempt at holding ceasefires for Easter in April 2022 and Orthodox Christmas in January 2023 weren’t carried out after each side didn’t agree on them. Ukraine final month agreed to President Trump’s proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, just for Putin to reject it.
Russia and Ukraine conduct prisoner change
Additionally Saturday, Russia and Ukraine performed a prisoner swap that was mediated by the United Arab Emirates, Russian state information company TASS reported.
Russia’s Ministry of Protection stated 246 Russian service members have been returned from territory managed by Kyiv, and that as a “gesture of goodwill,” 31 wounded Ukrainian prisoners of battle have been transferred in change for 15 wounded Russian troopers in want of pressing medical care.
Zelenskyy stated 277 Ukrainian “warriors have returned house from Russian captivity.” He thanked the United Arab Emirates for mediating the change.
It was the biggest change since Russia invaded Ukraine over three years in the past.
Announcement follows frustration from Trump administration
The announcement got here the day after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated President Trump’s administration was able to “transfer on” from peace talks between Russia and Ukraine if progress was not made within the coming days. Rubio made the feedback in Paris, after landmark talks amongst U.S., Ukrainian and European officers.
“We at the moment are reaching some extent the place we have to resolve whether or not that is even attainable or not,” Rubio informed reporters whereas departing Paris. “As a result of if it is not, then I believe we’re simply going to maneuver on.”
“It is not our battle,” Rubio added. “We’ve got different priorities to give attention to.” He stated the U.S. administration desires to resolve “in a matter of days.” One other assembly is predicted subsequent week in London.
U.S. Particular Envoy Steve Witkoff (second from left), Secretary of State Marco Rubio (middle), U.S. Particular Envoy Keith Kellogg and Germany’s nationwide safety advisor Jens Ploetner (second from proper) attend a gathering with French officers on the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, April 17, 2025.
LUDOVIC MARIN/POOL/AFP/Getty
Later Friday, Mr. Trump echoed Rubio’s frustrations with the tempo of the talks. When requested about Rubio’s feedback on Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed reporters that “pretty advanced” negotiations have been ongoing between the U.S. and Russia, although he stated no direct talks between Mr. Trump and Putin have been scheduled for the approaching days.
Combating earlier than ceasefire
Earlier Saturday, Russia’s Protection Ministry stated its forces pushed Ukrainian forces from considered one of their final remaining footholds in Russia’s Kursk area. Russian forces took management of the village of Oleshnya, on the border with Ukraine, the ministry stated. Gerasimov stated Russian troops had retaken 99% of the territory seized by Ukraine.
“Within the areas of the Kursk area the place Ukraine armed drive mounted an incursion, the primary a part of the territory… is now liberated. That is 1,260 sq. kilometres, 99.5 p.c,” Gerasimov informed Putin.
The Related Press was unable to right away confirm the declare. In the identical assertion the place he reacted to the ceasefire, Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian forces “continued their exercise” and are “sustaining their positions” within the Kursk area. He additionally stated that army forces “superior and elevated our zone of management” in Belgorod, a Russian metropolis about 24 miles from the Russia-Ukraine border.
Based on TASS, Russia remains to be combating to push Ukrainian forces out of the village of Gornal, some 7 miles south of Oleshnya.
“The Russian army has but to push the Ukrainian armed forces out of Gornal … with a view to fully liberate the Kursk area. Fierce combating is underway within the settlement,” the company reported, citing Russian safety companies.
In different developments, the Ukrainian air drive reported that Russia fired 87 exploding drones and decoys within the newest wave of assaults in a single day into Saturday. It stated 33 of them have been intercepted and one other 36 have been misplaced, doubtless having been electronically jammed.
Russian assaults broken farms within the Odesa area and sparked fires within the Sumy area in a single day, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service stated Saturday. Fires have been contained, and no casualties have been reported.
Russia’s Ministry of Protection, in the meantime, stated its air protection programs shot down two Ukrainian drones in a single day into Saturday.
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