Russian President Putin announced on Thursday (April 9) that to celebrate Orthodox Easter, Russia will observe a ceasefire with Ukraine from Saturday (11th) at 4 pm until midnight on Sunday (12th).
Ukrainian President Zelensky had previously expressed openness to a ceasefire during the Easter holiday.
The Kremlin issued a statement on Thursday evening, stating that after Kiev also proposed a pause in hostilities, President Putin declared a ceasefire with Ukraine during the Orthodox Easter holiday.
According to the Kremlin statement: “Based on the decision of the Supreme Commander Putin and in light of the upcoming Orthodox Easter (Easter of Christ), it has been announced that the ceasefire will begin from 4:00 pm on April 11, 2026 (13:00 Greenwich Mean Time) and will end on the same day on April 12, 2026.”
According to the Julian calendar followed by the Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox churches, Easter falls on April 12.
During the Easter period in 2025, Russia unilaterally declared a 30-hour ceasefire. However, both sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreement.
The Russian-Ukrainian war has been ongoing for more than four years, with no visible signs of coming to an end.