Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a temporary “Easter truce” in a three -year conflict in Ukraine, which will last until midnight on Sunday.
“On a humanitarian basis, today from 6pm to midnight from Sunday to Monday, the Russian side announces an Easter truce,” Putin said in a television statement published by the Kremlin. The statement was translated. “During this period, I order to stop all fighting. We believe that the Ukrainian side will follow our example. At the same time, our troops should be prepared to reflect the possible violations of the enemy, any aggressive actions.”
Putin first announced the ceasefire at a meeting with the Chief of the General Staff of Velar Gerasimov, the Kremlin press service said.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated in translation that the ceasefire was imposed “for humanitarian purposes and will be observed by the Russian single group of troops (forces), provided that it is mutually respected by the Kiev regime.”
President of Ukrainian Volodimir Zelensky criticized this statement as “the next attempt by Putin to play with the lives of people”, saying that the “air warning is extending throughout Ukraine” from the Russian blows of drones recorded in the sky at 5:15 local time.
“Ukrainian air defense and aviation have already started working on protection.
Shahids can be a reference to the mad drones, which were widely used by Russia during the war.
The announcement occurred the day US Secretary of State Mark Rubio said The Presidential Administration Trump was ready to “move” from peace talks between Russia and Ukraine if progress has not been made in the coming days. Rubio made comments in Paris after Significant negotiations Among us are Ukrainian and European officials.
“Now we reach the point when we need to decide whether it is even or not,” Rubio told reporters, going to Paris. “Because if it's not, then I think we're just going to move on.”
“It's not our war,” Rubio added. “We have other priorities to focus on.” He said the US administration wants to resolve “in a matter of days”. Another meeting is expected in London next week.
Later on Friday Mr Trump Responded to Rubio's disappointments With the pace of negotiations. Asked about Rubio's comments on Friday, Kremlin's press -secretary Dmitry Pesko told reporters that “rather complex” negotiations were held between the US and Russia, although he said that there was no direct negotiations between Mr. Trump and Putin in the coming days.
Earlier on Saturday, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that its forces were pushed by Ukrainian forces from one of the latter remained in the Russian region of Kursk. Russian troops took control of the village of Oleshni, on the border with Ukraine, the ministry said.
The Associated Press could not immediately check the claim. In the same statement where he responded to ceasefire, Zelensky stated that the Ukrainian forces “continued their activities” and “retain their positions” in the Kursk region. He also stated that the military forces “advanced and increased our control zone” in Belgorod, about 24 miles from the Russian-Ukraine border.
According to the Russian State Agency TASS, Russia is still fighting for pushing Ukrainian forces from the village of Gornol, about 7 miles south of altera.
“The Russian military has not yet pushed the Ukrainian armed forces out of the mining … To completely release the Kursk region. Fir fights are underway,” the agency reports, citing Russian security agencies.