Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on Saturday announced an “Easter truce,” promising to halt all military operations from Saturday evening until midnight on the night to Monday, according to the Kremlin’s official media outlet TASS and other Russian news sources.
“Based on humanitarian considerations, from today at 6:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m. from Sunday to Monday, the Russian side is declaring an Easter truce. I order a halt to all military actions during this period,” TASS quoted the Russian dictator.
“We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example,” Putin said.
Although Ukraine has not yet declared a truce and it is unclear whether the move has been coordinated with the Ukrainian side, Putin has already begun speaking about possible “violations.”
“Our troops must be ready to repel potential violations of the truce and enemy provocations—any aggressive actions by the enemy,” stated the Russian dictator.
The reaction to the “Easter truce” will demonstrate how genuine Kyiv’s willingness and ability to engage in “peace talks” really is, Putin added.
In response to Putin’s declared “Easter truce,” Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council’s Center for Countering Disinformation, questioned why the truce would last only 30 hours and was not unconditional, as previously suggested by international partners.
“And why for only 30 hours, instead of an unconditional ceasefire, as partners have proposed since March 11?” Kovalenko asked in a post on the Telegram platform.