Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a temporary halt to all military operations in observance of Easter, declaring a truce that begins today at 6 p.m. Moscow time (1 p.m. GMT) and will last until midnight Sunday.
The move, framed as a gesture of goodwill, is aimed at allowing both sides to observe the religious holiday in peace.
Putin noted that Russian forces will remain on high alert during the ceasefire, ready to repel any violations or provocations from Ukrainian forces. “We assume the Ukrainian side will also honour this pause in fighting,” the president stated.
Despite the truce, military activity remains intense in the lead-up to the ceasefire. General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, confirmed ongoing Russian offensives in 11 directions. In the northern sector, Russian forces have reportedly secured most of the contested territory in the Kursk region and continue to push Ukrainian forces out of areas like Gornal and Oleshnya.
Gerasimov added that several Ukrainian attempts to breach the Belgorod region were thwarted in recent days. “The enemy has concentrated significant forces in a few small zones,” he reported.
The ceasefire announcement follows comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who indicated Washington would step back from brokering any future Russia-Ukraine peace deals if either party makes negotiations “very difficult.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the sentiment, giving Russia days to show signs of cooperation or risk losing U.S. mediation.
While Ukraine has agreed to a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire, Russia has yet to fully embrace the terms—leaving the broader path to peace uncertain even as the Easter truce takes effect.
