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Kremlin Declares Temporary Easter Truce in Ukraine for April 11–12
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The Russian leader Vladimir Putin issued the order to Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov on April 9, declaring Easter truce from 4:00 p.m. on April 11 until the end of the day on April 12.
While the document mandates a pause in combat, it also instructs Russian forces to remain prepared to "suppress possible provocations and any aggressive actions by the enemy."
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Kremlin officials stated, "We proceed from the assumption that the Ukrainian side will follow the example of the Russian Federation."
This announcement follows earlier diplomatic efforts. At the end of March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that Ukraine supported a ceasefire for the Easter holidays.
At that time, Russian officials responded that they "did not see a clear initiative" in the President's words. Subsequently, Zelenskyy sent a formal request regarding an Easter ceasefire to the United States to act as an intermediary.
Skepticism remains high regarding the validity of such pauses. Last year, Putin issued a similar order to stop all combat operations for the Easter period.
Despite the declaration, Ukraine recorded over 2,000 violations of that "truce" by Russian forces within a single day.
The Ukrainian side has not yet issued an official comment regarding the Kremlin’s declaration.
On March 31, 2026, the Russian government dismissed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s proposal for an Easter "energy truce," opting instead to push for peace on its own terms.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow had not received a clearly formulated proposal and claimed that Kyiv was only seeking a pause because Russian forces were advancing across the front line.
The rejection occurred amidst a global energy crisis and followed reports that international partners had urged a reduction in strikes on oil infrastructure.
Although a brief pause had been brokered earlier in the year, the Kremlin emphasized that it favored a final settlement over a short-term holiday ceasefire.
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