The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has announced a temporary “Easter truce” in the three -year conflict in Ukraine that will last until midnight on Sunday.
“On humanitarian land, today from 6 pm at midnight from Sunday to Monday, the Russian side announces a Easter truce,” Putin said in a televised statement published by the Kremlin. The statement has been translated. “For this period, I order all fighting. We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example. At the same time, our troops must be prepared to reflect possible rapes of the truce and the provocations of the enemy.”
Putin first announced the fire at a meeting with the Chief of the General Staff of the General Staff Velar Gerasimov, said Kremlin’s press service.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said in a translated statement that the high fire is imposed “for humanitarian purposes and will be observed by the Russian troops (forces) group that was respected mutually respected by the kyiv regime.”
VYACHESLAV PROKOFYEV / AP 
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zenskyy, said that if Russia is really ready to observe a complete and unconditional fire, Ukraine will reflect that approach and attacking only in defense.
He said such a gesture, particularly during the Easter weekend, could reveal the true intentions of Moscow.
“If a complete fire really strengthens, Ukraine proposes to extend it beyond Easter Day on April 20,” Zenskyy said in Telegram. “That will reveal the true intentions of Russia, since 30 hours are enough for the holders, but not for genuine measures for confidence construction.”
Zenskyy added that, according to military reports, Russian assaults and artillery fire continued along parts of the 600 miles long line.
In response to the announcement of Alto El Fuego, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha, said that kyiv had unconditionally agreed in March to the United States proposal of a high complete interim fire for 30 days, “which Russia reached.
“Putin has now made statements about his alleged preparation for a high fire. 30 hours in 30 days,” Sybiha continued, writing in X. “Unfortunately, we have had a long history of their statements that do not coincide with their actions.”
The previous attempts to celebrate the cessation of high for Easter in April 2022 and Orthodox Christmas in January 2023 were not implemented after both parties could not agree on the subject. Ukraine last month agreed to the proposal of President Trump for a high full and unconditional fire of 30 days, just for Putin to reject it.
Russia and Ukraine perform prisoner exchange
Also on Saturday, Russia and Ukraine made an exchange of prisoners that was medled out by the United Arab Emirates, the Russian state news agency Tass reported.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said that 246 members of the Russian service were returned from the territory controlled by kyiv, and that as a “gesture of goodwill”, 31 prisoners of war Ukrainians wounded were transferred in necessity or 15 wounded doctors.
Zenskyy said that 277 “Ukrainian warriors have returned to Russian captivity house.” He thanked the Arab Emirates attached by mediating the exchange.
It was the biggest exchange since Russia invaded Ukraine about three years ago.
The announcement follows the frustration of the Trump administration
The announcement came the next day The Secretary of State for the United States, Marco Rubio, said The administration of President Trump was ready to “move forward” of the peace conversations between Russia and Ukraine if there was no progress in the next few days. Rubio made the comments in Paris, after Historical conversations Among Ukrainian and European officials.
“Now we are reaching a point where we must decide whether this is just possible or not,” Rubio told journalists while we leave Paris. “Because it is not, so I think we will move on.”
“It’s not our war,” Rubio added. “We have other priorities to focus.” He said that the US administration wants to decide “in a matter of days.” Another meeting is expected next week in London.
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Later on Friday, Trump echoed the frustrations of Rubios with the rhythm of the conversations. When asked about Rubio’s comments on Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that “quite complex” negotiations were ongoing between the United States and Russia, he thought he said he had not talked directly about Bethal. Trump and Putin were scheduled for the next few days.
Fighting before the high fire
The earliest Saturday, the Russian Ministry of Defense said their forces pushed the Ukrainian forces of one of their last support points in the Kursk region of Russia. The control of the Russian forces of the village of Olhnya, on the border with Ukraine, said the ministry. Gerasimov said that Russian troops had resumed 99% of the temporal territory by Ukraine.
“In the areas of the Kursk region where the Armed Forces of Ukraine set up an incursion, the main part of the territory … is now released. That is, 1,260 square kilometers, 99.5 percent,” Gerasimov told Putin.
Associated Press could not immediately verify the claim. In the same statement in which he reacted to Alto El Fuego, Zenskyy said that the Ukrainian forces “continued their activity” and are “caressing their positions” in the Kursk region. Hello, they also said that the military forces “advanced and increased our control zone” in Belgorod, a Russian city about 24 miles from the Russian-Ukraine border.
According to Tass, Russia is still fighting to expel the Ukrainian forces of the town of Gornal, about 7 miles south of Olhnya.
“The Russian army has not yet expelled the Ukrainian Armed Forces of Gornal … to complete the release of the Kursk region. A fierce struggle in the agreement are being carried out,” said the agency, citing Russian security agencies.
In other developments, the Ukraine Air Force reported that Russia triggered 87 drones and explosive lures in the last wave of attacks during the night until Saturday. He said that 33 of them were intercepted and another 36 were lost, probably having been electronically stuck.
Russian attacks damaged the farms in the Odessa region and caused fires in the Sumy region during the night, the Ukraine state emergency service said on Saturday. Fires were contained and victims were not reported.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said its air defense systems knocked down two Ukrainian drones during the night until Saturday.
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