Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine during the Easter holiday, beginning on Saturday at 6 p.m. Moscow time and lasting until midnight following Easter Sunday. The announcement was made with reference to humanitarian reasons and comes alongside the largest exchange of captured soldiers since the onset of the conflict over three years ago.
In a video shared by the Kremlin, Putin expressed the hope that Ukraine would reciprocate the ceasefire initiative but cautioned that Russian troops must remain vigilant to respond to any violations or provocations.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticized the ceasefire as a disingenuous move by Putin. He remarked on social media platform X that the ongoing air raid alerts across Ukraine and the presence of Shahed drones indicate Putin’s true intentions, implying that the ceasefire is merely a facade.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also voiced skepticism about Putin’s commitment to peace. He highlighted that Ukraine had previously agreed unconditionally to a U.S. proposal for a full interim ceasefire lasting 30 days, only for Russia to reject it. Sybiha pointed out the stark contrast between the 30-hour ceasefire offered by Russia and their earlier refusal of a longer agreement, emphasizing a historical pattern of inconsistency in Putin’s statements.
Despite the diplomatic tensions, a significant development occurred with the exchange of prisoners of war (POWs) on Saturday. Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported that 246 Russian service members were returned from territory under Ukrainian control, while 31 wounded Ukrainian POWs were exchanged for 15 Russian soldiers requiring urgent medical care. Zelenskyy confirmed the return of 277 Ukrainian warriors from captivity.
Both countries expressed gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for its role in facilitating this POW exchange.
This ceasefire announcement follows comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump, who indicated that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are reaching a critical point. Trump stated that neither side is trying to manipulate him in his efforts to bring an end to the conflict. However, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that the United States may shift its focus away from securing a peace deal if there is no meaningful progress in the coming days.
In previous instances, such as in January 2023, Putin had called for a unilateral ceasefire for Orthodox Christmas, which Ukraine dismissed as a tactic to buy time for further attacks.
Additionally, Ukrainian forces are reportedly engaged in ongoing military activities in the Kursk region, where Russia announced that it had reclaimed control over much of the territory that had previously been held by Ukrainian troops. General Valery Gerasimov informed Putin that approximately 99.5% of the affected area, amounting to 1,260 square kilometers, has been liberated.
Zelenskyy countered these claims, asserting that Ukrainian forces are maintaining their positions in the Kursk region. The Associated Press was unable to independently verify the accuracy of Russia’s claims regarding territorial control.
Reports indicate that fighting remains intense, particularly in the village of Gornal, just south of Oleshnya, where Russian forces continue to strive to eliminate the Ukrainian military presence. Russian media stated that fierce battles are ongoing in this area as they seek to completely secure the Kursk region.
On another front, the Ukrainian air force reported that overnight attacks by Russian forces involved the launch of 87 exploding drones and decoys, with 33 intercepted by Ukrainian defense systems and another 36 potentially jammed. Furthermore, attacks by Russia have reportedly caused damage to agricultural facilities in the Odesa region and ignited fires in the Sumy region, although no casualties have been recorded.
In response, Russian defense officials claimed to have shot down two Ukrainian drones in a separate incident.
Overall, these events underscore the ongoing volatility and complexity in the Russia-Ukraine conflict as diplomatic efforts for a truce continue amidst military confrontations.
image source from：https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kursk-drones-3c940cf913f22eb21803841b4d026db8
