Russia and Ukraine announce temporary Orthodox Easter ceasefire

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a ceasefire from 16:00 on April 11 until the end of April 12, 2026, to coincide with the Orthodox Easter holiday. Defense Minister Andrei Belousov issued the corresponding directive to Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov to halt military actions across all fronts during this period. While the Kremlin expects the Ukrainian side to follow suit, Russian troops remain instructed to prepare for potential provocations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that his country is prepared to observe a reciprocal ceasefire, noting that Kyiv had previously proposed an Easter truce. Zelenskyy stated that the world deserves to celebrate the holiday without threats and expressed hope for genuine progress toward peace. Reports indicate conflicting timelines regarding the duration of the truce, with some sources mentioning a 32-hour period. Both nations continue to monitor the situation while maintaining defensive readiness.