Vladimir Putin has announced an “Easter Truce”, saying that Russian forces will stop combat operations from 6pm Moscow time on Saturday until midnight on Sunday.
In a surprise move, Russia’s president said he was ordering a temporary halt to the fighting out of “humanitarian considerations”. He said he expected Ukraine to follow suit and said this would be a test of whether the “regime” in Kyiv was interested in peace.
Putin’s made his remarks in a meeting with Russia’s commander-in-chief Valery Gerasimov, which was broadcast on state television. Ukrainians reacted sceptically, pointing out the announcement was made at the same time as an air raid alert sounded across the Kyiv region.
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