Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a temporary “Easter truce” in Ukraine, declaring a unilateral ceasefire from Saturday evening through midnight Sunday, April 20.
The Kremlin said Russian forces will pause military operations during Orthodox Easter celebrations, expressing hope that Ukraine would follow suit. However, Putin also ordered troops to remain prepared to respond to any Ukrainian “provocations.”
“We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example,” Putin said, according to the Kremlin Press Service.
So far, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not publicly responded to the proposal.
The announcement came on the same day Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces pushed Ukrainian forces from one of their last remaining footholds in Russia’s Kursk region. Russian forces took control of the village of Oleshnya, on the border with Ukraine, the ministry said.
The Associated Press was unable to immediately verify the claim.
According to the Russian state news agency TASS, Russia is still fighting to push Ukrainian forces out of the village of Gornal, some 7 miles south of Oleshnya.
“The Russian military has yet to push the Ukrainian armed forces out of Gornal … in order to completely liberate the Kursk region. Fierce fighting is underway in the settlement,” the agency reported, citing Russian security agencies.
Ceasefire Comes Amid Renewed Russian Offensive
The announcement came hours after Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its troops had pushed Ukrainian forces out of the border village of Oleshnya in Russia’s Kursk region — one of Ukraine’s last remaining footholds in that area. The Associated Press has not independently verified the claim.
Fighting reportedly continues just south of Oleshnya, where Russian forces are attempting to seize full control of the village of Gornal, according to Russian state media outlet TASS.
Fighting is intense, and casualties are mounting.
Context: Ceasefire Optics vs. Battlefield Reality
Putin’s ceasefire offer follows weeks of mounting international criticism over repeated violations of a previous 30-day truce on energy infrastructure — part of a deal brokered with President Trump last month. Multiple Russian strikes since have targeted Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure, undermining Moscow’s credibility in future talks.
The temporary truce may be as much about public diplomacy as it is about pausing hostilities — particularly as U.S. and European officials debate whether peace talks remain viable.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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