Sat Apr 19 14:32:31 UTC 2025: ## Putin Declares Easter Ceasefire in Ukraine Amidst Ongoing Conflict
**Moscow, Russia –** Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary Easter ceasefire in Ukraine, effective from 6 p.m. Moscow time on April 19th to midnight on April 20th. The Kremlin cited humanitarian considerations for the truce, but also stipulated that Russian forces remain prepared to repel any Ukrainian attacks. This announcement follows a statement by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are intensifying, and a warning from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the U.S. may withdraw its mediation efforts if no progress is made soon.
The ceasefire announcement coincided with reports from the Russian Defense Ministry claiming the recapture of Oleshnya, a village in the Kursk region bordering Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion last year. While Russia claims to have pushed Ukrainian troops from this key location, the Associated Press has not independently verified this information, and Ukrainian officials have not yet responded. Heavy fighting continues in the nearby village of Gornal, according to Russian state media. The recapture of these areas, aided by North Korean soldiers, significantly weakens Ukraine’s negotiating position, according to Russian sources.
Overnight, Russia launched another wave of drone attacks on Ukraine, with the Ukrainian air force reporting that it intercepted 33 out of 87 drones. Attacks damaged farms in the Odesa region and sparked fires in the Sumy region, though no casualties were reported. Russia’s Ministry of Defense also claimed to have shot down two Ukrainian drones.
This Easter ceasefire marks the second such unilateral pause in hostilities declared by Russia since the conflict began. A similar 36-hour Christmas ceasefire in January 2023 was dismissed by Ukraine as a tactic to regroup Russian forces. The effectiveness and longevity of this latest ceasefire remain uncertain.
First Piper 