Overview and Background

On April 19, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary "Easter truce" in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The ceasefire is set to begin at 6 p.m. Moscow time and will last until midnight on Sunday, April 21. This is the first significant break in hostilities since the invasion began over three years ago. The announcement was made during a televised meeting with Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov.

Putin stated that the truce is intended for humanitarian reasons and expressed hope that the Ukrainian side would reciprocate. The Russian Defense Ministry emphasized that the ceasefire would be observed only if Ukraine also refrained from military actions. At the time of the announcement, there was no immediate response from Ukrainian officials.

Key Points

• The Easter truce will last from 6 p.m. on April 19 to midnight on April 21, according to the Kremlin.
• Putin accused Ukraine of violating previous ceasefires and instructed Russian forces to be prepared for any possible provocations.
• This announcement comes after Russia's Defense Ministry claimed to have regained control of the village of Oleshnya in the Kursk region, though this claim has not been independently verified.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the truce, suggesting it was an attempt by Putin to manipulate humanitarian sentiments amidst ongoing military actions.
• In a related development, both Ukraine and Russia confirmed a significant prisoner exchange, with hundreds of soldiers being swapped on the same day.

"We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example. At the same time, our troops must be ready to repel possible violations of the truce and provocations from the enemy," Putin stated during the announcement.

This ceasefire follows a previous unilateral truce declared by Russia during Orthodox Christmas in January 2025, which was met with skepticism from Ukraine. The situation remains fluid as both sides continue to engage in military operations.