Putin orders Easter ceasefire, calls on Ukraine to follow
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared an “Easter ceasefire” from 4:00 p.m. on April 11 through the end of the day on April 12, the Kremlin announced on April 9.
Putin ordered Russian forces to halt combat operations across all fronts, though troops were told to remain ready to counter any provocations or aggressive actions by the opposing side.
“We proceed from the assumption that the Ukrainian side will follow the example of the Russian Federation,” the Kremlin stated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier proposed a ceasefire for Easter. Earlier on April 9, the Kremlin had said that Putin had not yet made a final decision on a possible Easter ceasefire.
Kyiv had not commented on the Russian announcement as of the time of publication.
In 2025, Putin unilaterally declared a halt to hostilities over Easter for a day and a half. Both sides accused each other of numerous violations, though the intensity of fighting dropped significantly during that period.
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