Russia-Ukraine Orthodox Easter Ceasefire Takes Effect Today

A Temporary Ceasefire Between Russia and Ukraine Takes Effect

A temporary ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine has been agreed upon by both sides, with a 32-hour period set to begin at 4:00pm local time on Saturday and end at midnight on Sunday. The Kremlin announced the ceasefire, which was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week, coinciding with Orthodox Easter celebrations.

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kyiv will respect the ceasefire if Moscow does so as well. In a social media post, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will adhere to the ceasefire and respond strictly in kind if Russia violates it. The Ukrainian army has also confirmed its readiness to respond immediately if Russia breaches the truce.

Despite the agreement, tensions remain high, with both sides having expressed skepticism about the truce’s duration. In recent hours, Russia launched at least 160 drones at Ukraine, killing four people and wounding dozens in the country’s east and south. Ukrainian authorities reported two deaths and damage to civilian infrastructure in the southern Odesa region.

In a separate development, four people died in Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Kherson regions, according to Russian-installed officials. The United Arab Emirates helped mediate an exchange of 175 prisoners of war between the two sides on Saturday, according to the Russian Ministry of Defence.

The ceasefire is one of several attempts at a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict, which has lasted for over four years. The US-led diplomatic efforts to end the war continue to stall, with Ukraine proposing to freeze the conflict along the current front lines and Russia rejecting this proposal.

Source: Al Jazeera