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Russia's Putin Announces Orthodox Easter Ceasefire, Expects Ukraine to Do the Same
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 9, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 9, 2026
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Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a two‑day unilateral ceasefire from 16:00 UTC on April 11 to the end of April 12 for Orthodox Easter, expecting Ukraine to reciprocate, though Kyiv has expressed skepticism given past ceasefire breaches.
Russia's Putin announces Orthodox Easter ceasefire, expects Ukraine to do the same
Ceasefire Announcement and Reactions
Details of the Ceasefire Declaration
April 9 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday announced a ceasefire over a two-day period for Orthodox Easter and expected the Ukrainian side to do the same, the Kremlin said.
"In connection with the approaching holiday of Orthodox Easter, a ceasefire is declared from 1600 on 11th April to the end of the day of 12th April," the Kremlin announcement said.
"We proceed on the basis that the Ukrainian side will follow the example of the Russian Federation."
Orders to Russian Military Command
The announcement said Defence Minister Andri Belousov had issued an order to Russia's top commander, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, "to stop for this period military action in all directions.
Readiness for Provocations
"Troops are to be ready to eliminate all possible provocations by the enemy as well as any aggressive actions".
Ukrainian Response and Context
There was no immediate reaction from Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has for more than a week proposed an Easter ceasefire and, citing air attacks on Ukrainian cities, said Moscow had responded with drones.
Orthodox Easter Date
According to the calendar of the Orthodox faith, dominant in both Russia and Ukraine, Easter falls this year on April 12.
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
Key Takeaways
- •Putin declared a humanitarian two‑day ceasefire for Orthodox Easter, urging Ukraine to follow suit (reported by Reuters)
- •Ukraine had preemptively proposed an Easter pause in energy strikes via U.S. mediation but received no immediate response from Russia (apnews.com)
- •Previous unilateral Easter ceasefires by Russia—such as in April 2025—were met with Ukrainian skepticism amidst continued fighting and allegations of violations (apnews.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Russia's Putin announces Orthodox Easter ceasefire, expects Ukraine to do the same
1What ceasefire did Putin announce for Orthodox Easter?
Putin announced a ceasefire from 4:00 PM on April 11 to the end of April 12 for Orthodox Easter.
2Which dates does the Orthodox Easter ceasefire cover?
The ceasefire covers the period from April 11, 4:00 PM, until the end of April 12.
3Did Putin expect Ukraine to observe the ceasefire?
Yes, Putin and the Kremlin stated they expected the Ukrainian side to follow Russia's example.
4Who announced the Orthodox Easter ceasefire?
The ceasefire was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin.
5Why was the ceasefire announced?
The ceasefire was announced in connection with the approaching holiday of Orthodox Easter.
