Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a temporary halt to all military operations in Ukraine as part of an “Easter truce,” urging Ukrainian forces to observe the same.
In a statement shared via the Kremlin’s official Telegram channel, Putin said the ceasefire would commence at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and run until midnight on Monday, citing humanitarian grounds for the decision.
“Guided by humanitarian considerations, today from 18:00 to midnight from Sunday to Monday, the Russian side declares an Easter truce. I order all military actions to be stopped for this period,” the statement read.
However, Putin emphasized that Russian troops must remain on alert to repel any potential violations of the truce or provocations from Ukrainian forces.
As of the time of filing this report, Ukraine has yet to officially respond to the Russian proposal.
The truce announcement coincides with reports that the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump is prepared to recognize Russia’s control over Crimea as part of a broader initiative to bring an end to the ongoing conflict.
Crimea, located in southern Ukraine, has been under Russian occupation since its controversial annexation in 2014. In addition to Crimea, Russia currently holds parts of Donetsk and Luhansk in the east, as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south—regions captured following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The move signals a possible diplomatic turning point, though the international community remains cautious amid continued tensions and uncertainty over Ukraine’s stance on both the ceasefire and U.S. proposal.
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