President Vladimir Putin’s announcement of a temporary Easter ceasefire in Ukraine has drawn strong criticism from Kyiv, as Ukrainian leaders question the sincerity behind Moscow’s gesture amid continued hostilities and deep mistrust.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine over the Easter weekend, citing humanitarian concerns, as both countries carried out the largest prisoner exchange since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion more than three years ago.
According to the Kremlin, the truce began at 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) on Saturday and will extend until midnight (2100 GMT) on Easter Sunday. “We expect the Ukrainian side to mirror our actions,” Putin stated during a meeting with Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, as seen in a video released by the Kremlin’s press service. He added that Russian forces should remain vigilant and prepared to respond to any provocations or breaches of the ceasefire.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed the announcement as another manipulative move by the Kremlin. In a post on X, he condemned the timing of the drone attacks that coincided with the supposed truce. “Air raid alerts are sounding across Ukraine. Shahed drones in our skies reveal Putin’s true attitude toward Easter and human life,” Zelenskyy wrote.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha echoed the president’s skepticism, referencing Kyiv’s earlier acceptance of a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire in March—a proposal Moscow refused. “Putin now speaks of a 30-hour ceasefire instead of 30 days,” Sybiha wrote on X. “Unfortunately, his words rarely align with his actions.”
Despite doubts surrounding the truce, the day saw a major development on the humanitarian front, as Ukraine and Russia completed a significant exchange of prisoners of war. Russia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the return of 246 Russian service members, and noted that, as a “gesture of goodwill,” it had transferred 31 wounded Ukrainian prisoners in exchange for 15 injured Russian soldiers requiring urgent medical care. President Zelenskyy announced that 277 Ukrainian "warriors" had been returned home.
Both nations expressed gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for its role in mediating the exchange.
Putin’s ceasefire declaration came just a day after U.S. President Donald Trump indicated that peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia were reaching a critical juncture. Trump insisted that neither party was “playing” him in his diplomatic efforts to bring the war to an end. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a warning that Washington may soon withdraw from the negotiations if meaningful progress is not made in the coming days.
This is not the first time Putin has declared a unilateral holiday truce. In January 2023, he ordered a 36-hour ceasefire for Orthodox Christmas—an initiative that Zelenskyy also dismissed at the time as a tactical move to regroup and prepare for further attacks.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most s...
The United States is pushing to establish a formal deconfliction mechanism between Israel, Türkiye and Syr...
U.S. President Donald Trump has paused a planned 50 per cent tariff increase on Canadian goods for three days, saying Washington and Ottawa had rea...
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming the U.S. already controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval blockade.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Ukraine has targeted at least 20 Wildberries warehouses across Russia since 18 July, disrupting a major logistics network. Kyiv says the strikes aim to disrupt alleged military-linked supplies, while the attacks have caused billions of dollars in losses and wider economic pressure.
South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Monday it was reviewing U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on scaling back joint military drills. It added that it hoped a favourable relationship between Washington and Pyongyang could lead to meaningful talks.
Azerbaijan exported goods worth $17.372 million to Armenia between January and July 2026, according to data from the State Customs Committee, as commercial ties between the two South Caucasus neighbours showed signs of expansion.
The United States is pushing to establish a formal deconfliction mechanism between Israel, Türkiye and Syria after Israeli airstrikes on a Syrian airbase raised concerns about the risk of a wider regional confrontation.
U.S. President Donald Trump has paused a planned 50 per cent tariff increase on Canadian goods for three days, saying Washington and Ottawa had reached a preliminary agreement.
A federal judge has allowed the Trump administration to move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Ethiopian nationals living in the United States, removing one of the last major legal obstacles to a broader effort to roll back humanitarian immigration protections.
With governments focused on conflicts in the Gulf and Ukraine, China is pressing ahead with a more assertive military and strategic posture across the Pacific, particularly around its immediate neighbourhood.
Britain will continue to support Ukraine “100 per cent” against Russia’s invasion, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Tuesday, after Moscow warned London of consequences over reports that British-made drones had been used in strikes on Russian territory.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment