Vladimir Putin has introduced a 30-hour “Easter truce” in Ukraine – however Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian assaults are persevering with hours after it was attributable to start.
The Ukrainian president shared an announcement on X after his Russian counterpart mentioned a ceasefire would final from 6pm on Saturday to midnight on Easter Sunday – each Moscow time, which is 2 hours forward of the UK.
“Guided by humanitarian considerations… the Russian side declares an Easter truce,” Mr Putin mentioned at a gathering with chief of normal employees Valery Gerasimov.
“I order that every one navy actions be stopped for this era.
“We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example. At the same time, our troops must be ready to repel possible violations of the truce and provocations from the enemy, any of its aggressive actions.”
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Russia’s chief of normal employees Valery Gerasimov meets with Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Pic: Reuters
Mr Zelenskyy claimed Russian assaults have been persevering with regardless of the truce announcement.
He wrote: “As of now… Russian assault operations continue on several frontline sectors, and Russian artillery fire has not subsided.
“Subsequently, there isn’t any belief in phrases coming from Moscow.”
Mr Zelenskyy mentioned in the identical assertion {that a} US proposal for a “full and unconditional 30 days ceasefire” has gone “unanswered” by Russia for 39 days.
He added that Ukraine “responded positively” to the American proposal however “Russia ignored it”.
The Ukrainian president mentioned that “if Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly – mirroring Russia’s actions”.
“If a complete ceasefire truly takes hold, Ukraine proposes extending it beyond the Easter day of April 20,” he added.
“That is what will reveal Russia’s true intentions – because 30 hours is enough to make headlines, but not for genuine confidence-building measures. Thirty days could give peace a chance.”
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy talking earlier this week. Pic: AP
Shortly after the ceasefire was introduced, Ukraine’s overseas minister Andrii Sybiha mentioned there had been a “long history” of Mr Putin’s phrases not “matching his actions”.
“We know his words cannot be trusted and we will look at actions, not words,” he added.
The ceasefire announcement has echoes of January 2023, when Mr Putin ordered his forces in Ukraine to watch a 36-hour truce for Orthodox Christmas.
At the moment, Mr Zelenskyy stopped in need of stating his forces would reject Mr Putin’s request, however dismissed the Russian transfer as taking part in for time to regroup its invasion forces and put together extra assaults.
Prisoner trade
It comes as Ukraine and Russia performed a swap of greater than 500 prisoners of battle on Saturday, the newest in a sequence of exchanges since Russia launched a full-scale invasion greater than three years in the past.
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Russia and Ukraine swap tons of of prisoners
Mr Zelenskyy, in a submit on the Telegram messaging app, mentioned 277 Ukrainian service personnel had returned residence from Russian captivity.
Russia’s defence ministry mentioned 246 servicemen had been handed over by Kyiv.
It mentioned an additional 31 injured prisoners of battle had been handed over to Ukraine and 15 of its personal wounded servicemen had additionally been returned by Kyiv.
The developments come after US President Donald Trump on Friday mentioned negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are “coming to a head” and insisted that neither facet is “playing” him in his push to finish the grinding three-year battle.
Mr Trump spoke shortly after secretary of state Marco Rubio warned that the US might “move on” from making an attempt to safe a Russia-Ukraine peace deal if there isn’t any progress within the coming days, after months of efforts have did not convey an finish to the combating.
