Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine for Easter, set to last from 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) on Saturday until midnight (2100 GMT) following Easter Sunday.
The ceasefire was declared based on humanitarian considerations, with Putin instructing that all military actions be halted during this period.
The Russian leader, speaking at a meeting with Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, said, “I order that all military actions be stopped for this period.” He added that he expected the Ukrainian side to follow Russia’s example. However, Putin also emphasized that Russian forces must remain ready to respond to any violations of the truce or provocations from Ukraine, warning of potential aggressive actions.
The announcement coincided with reports from Russia’s Defense Ministry claiming that Russian forces had pushed Ukrainian troops from one of their last remaining strongholds in Russia’s Kursk region. Russia reportedly took control of the village of Oleshnya, located on the border with Ukraine. However, the Associated Press was unable to verify the claim, and there was no immediate response from Ukrainian officials.
Meanwhile, Russian forces continued to fight to expel Ukrainian forces from the village of Gornal, located 7 miles (11 kilometers) south of Oleshnya, with fierce fighting reported in the area, according to Russian news agency TASS.
In addition to ground actions, Russian forces launched a wave of attacks with 87 drones and decoys overnight, according to Ukraine’s air force. The Ukrainian military reported intercepting 33 of these drones and downing another 36, likely due to electronic jamming. Russian attacks also caused significant damage in the Odesa and Sumy regions, setting off fires in farms and residential areas. Fortunately, no casualties were reported from these incidents.
On the air defense front, Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported shooting down two Ukrainian drones overnight, adding to the ongoing exchange of aerial assaults between the two sides.
While the Easter ceasefire may provide a brief respite in the conflict, the situation on the ground remains tense, with military actions continuing to shape the outcome of ongoing territorial battles.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Kyiv has signed new agreements with international partners to boost joint arms productio...
The UK has re-established diplomatic relations with Syria, marking a major shift in its foreign policy following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regim...
Poland’s iconic Vistula River has dropped to historic lows, as severe drought and scorching heat grip the country....
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Russia’s recent large-scale drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, calling them the biggest since the...
Microsoft is closing its direct operations in Pakistan after 25 years, shifting to a partner-led model to serve the market....
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Kyiv has signed new agreements with international partners to boost joint arms production amid ongoing Russian attacks.
The UK has re-established diplomatic relations with Syria, marking a major shift in its foreign policy following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime eight months ago.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Russia’s recent large-scale drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, calling them the biggest since the war began over three years ago.
Microsoft is closing its direct operations in Pakistan after 25 years, shifting to a partner-led model to serve the market.
The European Commission is set to propose allowing carbon credits from other countries to count towards the EU’s 2040 climate target, according to a leaked internal document.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Japan’s Tokara Islands on Wednesday, with no tsunami warning issued but residents advised to remain vigilant.
The United States has rescinded licensing restrictions on ethane exports to China, allowing shipments to resume after a temporary halt and signalling progress in efforts to ease recent trade tensions.
Italy plans to grant approximately 500,000 work visas to non-EU nationals between 2026 and 2028, as announced in a cabinet statement. The initiative aims to address labor shortages by expanding legal immigration pathways
Following a deadly glacier collapse in Blatten, near the Swiss Alpine village of Kandersteg, the town is on high alert as melting permafrost and shifting rock threaten another potential disaster after it was buried a month ago.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Kyiv has signed new agreements with international partners to boost joint arms production amid ongoing Russian attacks.
The UK has re-established diplomatic relations with Syria, marking a major shift in its foreign policy following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime eight months ago.
Poland’s iconic Vistula River has dropped to historic lows, as severe drought and scorching heat grip the country.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Russia’s recent large-scale drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, calling them the biggest since the war began over three years ago.
Russian air defences intercepted four Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow on Saturday, prompting brief flight suspensions at major airports in the capital and other cities.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment