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On humanitarian grounds, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine coinciding with the Easter holiday, effective Saturday. This announcement coincided with a significant exchange of prisoners, marking the largest swap since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion more than three years ago.
The Kremlin indicated that the ceasefire would commence on Saturday at 6 p.m. Moscow time (11 a.m. ET) and conclude at midnight following Easter Sunday.
“We expect the Ukrainian side to reciprocate this gesture. However, our forces must remain vigilant against any potential violations of the ceasefire and provocations from the enemy,” Putin stated during a meeting with Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, a video of which was shared by the Kremlin’s Press Service.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the ceasefire, suggesting it was a manipulation by Putin. He expressed concerns over ongoing air raid alerts across Ukraine and highlighted the presence of Shahed drones, indicating a disregard for the Easter period and human life in general.
Russia’s Position on Ceasefire
In light of Putin’s ceasefire announcement, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha recalled that Kyiv had previously accepted a U.S. proposal for a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire in March, which Russia declined.
“Putin’s claims of a ceasefire now suggest 30 hours instead of the 30 days we proposed,” Sybiha noted on X. “We have a long history of observing discrepancies between his words and actions.”
This announcement came alongside a prisoner swap whereby Russia’s Defense Ministry reported the return of 246 Russian servicemen from Ukrainian-held territory. They also mentioned the transfer of 31 wounded Ukrainian prisoners as an act of goodwill in exchange for 15 Russian soldiers requiring urgent medical treatment.
Zelenskyy confirmed that 277 Ukrainian soldiers were returned from captivity in Russia, with both sides extending gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for facilitating the negotiations.
The ceasefire announcement followed remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested that discussions between Ukraine and Russia were nearing a critical juncture. He emphasized the importance of substantial progress in negotiations, hinting at a potential withdrawal from further peace efforts if stagnation continued.
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U.S. President Donald Trump indicated that the U.S. might withdraw from facilitating peace talks between Ukraine and Russia unless there is significant progress soon. Russia has laid out multiple conditions for a ceasefire that Ukraine has rejected. In January 2023, Putin called for a unilateral 36-hour ceasefire for Orthodox Christmas, which Zelenskyy dismissed as a tactic to gain time for further military actions.
Current Situation in the Kursk Region
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that its forces successfully pushed Ukrainian troops from the village of Oleshnya, claiming it was one of the last strongholds for Ukraine in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces had previously conducted a surprise incursion.
General Gerasimov informed Putin, as per state media reports, that Russian forces had regained nearly all contested territory in the region. He stated, “The bulk of the area where the invasion occurred has been liberated, amounting to 1,260 square kilometers, or 99.5 percent.” However, Zelenskyy countered that Ukrainian forces were still active and maintaining their positions in the Kursk region.
Verification of the claims by Russia has not been independently confirmed by the Associated Press. The resurgence of Russian and North Korean forces has reportedly diminished Ukraine’s leverage in negotiations by regaining key territory.
Russian state news agency Tass reported ongoing efforts to dislodge Ukrainian forces from Gornal, a village located approximately 11 kilometers south of Oleshnya, indicating “fierce fighting” as a prerequisite for full control of the Kursk region.
In another context, the Ukrainian air force shared that overnight Russian attacks involved the use of 87 explosive drones and decoys, out of which 33 were intercepted and an additional 36 were likely disabled through electronic countermeasures.
Furthermore, Russian strikes caused damage to agricultural regions in the Odesa area and ignited fires in the Sumy region, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service, although no casualties were reported. Concurrently, Russia’s Defense Ministry stated its air defenses successfully shot down two Ukrainian drones during the same timeframe.
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