Russia announces Orthodox Easter ceasefire with Ukraine

MOSCOW: Russia announced a temporary 32-hour ceasefire with Ukraine on the occasion of Orthodox Easter from April 11 to April 12, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. The ceasefire will begin from 4 pm on Saturday and will last till Sunday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin directed the Minister of Defence Andrey Belousov and the Chief of the General Staff General Valery Gerasimov to halt combat operations in all areas for this period. “By decision of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, a ceasefire has been declared ahead of the Orthodox Easter — from 4 pm on April 11 until the end of April 12, 2026”, added the statement.

“Russian troops are to remain ready to repel any possible provocations by the enemy, as well as any aggressive actions on its part. We proceed from the assumption that the Ukrainian side will follow Russia’s example,” The Ministry said in a statement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announces Orthodox Easter ceasefire with Ukraine from 1300 GMT on April 11 until end of day on April 12 – Kremlin pic.twitter.com/cnYjD6YDS2

— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) April 9, 2026

This is not the first time a holiday ceasefire has been declared. Last Easter, Putin called a similar 30-hour pause, and it collapsed almost immediately. This comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed a ceasefire for Easter.

Zelenskyy, addressing a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on March 31, said, “We have proposed a ceasefire for the Easter holidays. We hope that the United States will support this proposition. And we are waiting for a response from Russia. Tomorrow, I will speak with the American team, including on this issue. We hope for results. Results are needed for everyone.”

Days later, Zelenskyy criticised Russia for not agreeing to the ceasefire, stating that “nothing is sacred” for them, calling for strong actions to curb Moscow’s ability to fight the war. “We have repeatedly offered Russia a ceasefire at least for Easter. But for them, all times are alike and nothing is sacred. If Russia can afford this war, it will not choose peace willingly. Only significant financial losses force Russia to consider a scenario of abandoning this war,” he said.

Ukraine and Russia continue to fight after the US-mediated talks have stalled, with no real headway towards peace. Russia continue to claim the territory it has gained during the conflict, and Zelenskyy remains adamant not to concede the land and push for more assured security arrangements. (ANI)