Moscow, April 19: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday ordered a temporary ceasefire in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, pausing hostilities from 6 p.m. Moscow time until midnight in observance of Easter.
The declaration came during a briefing with General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff, who provided updates on military operations near the Ukrainian border.
“Except for two small areas along the border, the entire territory of the Kursk region has been liberated,” Gerasimov told Putin, referring to Russian efforts to regain control of areas seized last year.
The ceasefire, which amounts to a six-hour suspension of hostilities, marks a rare gesture of restraint in a conflict that has seen few such pauses. Putin urged Ukrainian authorities to match the move by halting their own operations during the religious observance.
Russian officials noted that parts of the Kursk region had fallen under the control of Ukrainian Armed Forces during an incursion in August 2024. The military has since conducted a campaign to reclaim the area, according to the Kremlin.
“We call on the Ukrainian side to respect the sacred significance of Easter and respond accordingly,” Putin said during the meeting.
As of Saturday evening, Kyiv had not publicly responded to the ceasefire offer.
