Putin Declares 'Easter Truce'

On 19 April 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral 30-hour "Easter truce" in Ukraine, set to commence at 6 p.m. Moscow time and conclude at midnight on Easter Sunday. Citing humanitarian grounds, Putin expressed hope that Ukraine would reciprocate the ceasefire. However, he instructed Russian forces to remain prepared to respond to any violations or provocations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded with skepticism, labelling the truce as "another attempt by Putin to play with human lives." He noted that air raid alerts were active across Ukraine at the time of the announcement and reported the presence of Russian drones in Ukrainian airspace. Zelenskyy proposed that if a complete ceasefire were genuinely observed, Ukraine would mirror the action and suggested extending the truce beyond Easter to assess Russia's true intentions.

Simultaneously, Russia and Ukraine conducted their largest prisoner exchange since the onset of the conflict, with 277 Ukrainian soldiers and 246 Russian troops returning to their respective countries. The exchange, facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, included the transfer of wounded personnel requiring urgent medical care.​

Despite the declared truce, reports indicated continued hostilities. Ukrainian officials accused Russian forces of ongoing artillery fire and assaults along the front lines. Conversely, Russia alleged that Ukrainian forces violated the ceasefire through multiple attacks, including drone strikes and artillery fire, particularly in the Donetsk region.​

Image: Kremlin

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