Russia has announced a temporary ceasefire in its war with Ukraine over the Orthodox Easter weekend, in what appears to be a sudden shift after earlier calls for a truce were ignored.
The move, declared by President Vladimir Putin, comes as Kyiv cautiously signals willingness to respond in kind, raising hopes of a brief pause in the fighting even as doubts remain over whether it will hold.
Putin said he had ordered Russian troops to stop fighting “in all directions” starting from 16:00 local time on Saturday through Easter Sunday. He added that he expected Ukraine to “follow the example” of Russia, while at the same time instructing his forces to remain on alert for “possible enemy provocations” and any “aggressive actions.”
The announcement from Moscow follows repeated appeals by President Volodymyr Zelensky for a ceasefire, which had previously gone unanswered by the Kremlin. The latest declaration is likely to be met with suspicion in Ukraine, especially given past experiences with similar pauses.
Zelensky responded shortly after the announcement, saying Ukraine was open to matching Russia’s move. “People need an Easter free from threats and real movement toward peace,” he wrote. “Russia has a chance not to return to strikes after Easter as well.”
Earlier in the week, Zelensky had said he asked the United States to relay a proposal for a holiday truce to Moscow as an initial step toward easing tensions.
For soldiers along the long eastern front, where constant drone attacks have made conditions harsh, even a short break would offer some relief. Civilians across Ukraine could also get a rare moment of calm, as daily life has been shaped by air raid sirens, missile strikes, and drone attacks that continue to kill and injure.
Recent incidents highlight the ongoing danger. Several people died when a drone hit a bus in Nikopol in the south-east. In Zhytomyr, near Kyiv, a woman was killed when a missile struck close to her home during the morning.
Despite the ceasefire announcement, sirens sounded again in Kyiv shortly afterward, underlining the uncertainty surrounding the truce.
Ukraine has also stepped up its own drone operations inside Russia, focusing on energy facilities in a series of strikes. Russian authorities say some residential buildings have also been affected.
Even if the truce takes effect, many Ukrainians remain doubtful. Earlier this year, Russia announced what it called an “energy truce,” pausing attacks on Ukraine’s power systems during winter, but the break was short-lived before strikes resumed.
A similar attempt last May, when Russia declared a halt to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany, saw hundreds of reported violations according to Ukraine.
Kyiv has consistently pushed for a full and lasting ceasefire as a first step toward ending the war. However, Moscow has insisted that a broader peace agreement must come first, leading to accusations from Ukraine that Russia is not serious about stopping the conflict.
Efforts to negotiate have included several rounds of talks with the United States acting as a mediator, but progress has stalled after Donald Trump shifted focus to the Middle East.
