INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a temporary Easter ceasefire in Ukraine, the Kremlin announced Saturday, as both Moscow and Kyiv
said they exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war with mediation from the United Arab Emirates."Out of humanitarian considerations, Russia is
declaring an Easter ceasefire from 6:00 p.m
[Moscow time] today until midnight Sunday into Monday
I am ordering all combat operations to be halted during this period," Putin said in a televised meeting with Chief of the General Staff
Valery Gerasimov."At the same time, our forces must remain ready to respond to any ceasefire violations or provocations by the enemy, as
well as to any aggressive actions," the Kremlin leader added.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky initially dismissed Moscow's Easter
truce, saying that Russian armed forces were launching air attacks on his country right as the announced pause in hostilities was supposed
"Shahed drones in our skies reveal Putin's true attitude toward Easter and toward human life."However, later on Saturday, the Ukrainian
leader appeared to signal that he was ready to support Russia's temporary ceasefire if it could pave the way for a broader, unconditional
proposes extending it beyond the Easter day of April 20
confidence-building measures
Thirty days could give peace a chance.""As of now, according to the Commander-in-Chief reports, Russian assault operations continue on
several frontline sectors, and Russian artillery fire has not subsided," he added
The governor of southern Ukraine's Kherson region reported several Russian drone strikes after Moscow's Easter ceasefire was set to take
effect on Saturday evening, saying that "unfortunately, wedon't see any lull.Shellingcontinues,and civilians are again under
attack."According to a Russian diplomat who spoke to The Moscow Times on condition of anonymity, the Kremlin's decision to announce a truce
was likely intended to serve multiple goals beyond what Putin described as a "humanitarian" gesture."Our president is killing multiple birds
with one stone," the diplomat said
"It's a pass to Trump, who is expecting us to move quickly to halt the war
It's also designed to show that Christian values are important to us.""And it's an attempt to cast President Zelensky as an unreliable
negotiating partner in the eyes of the American president," the diplomat added.Shortly after the Kremlin announced the Easter ceasefire,
Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed it received Putin's order and noted that the truce would be "observed by the Russian Joint Group of
same number of captured Russian soldiers
"As a gesture of goodwill," an additional 31 wounded Ukrainian POWs were transferred in exchange for 15 wounded Russian soldiers, the
ministry added.Zelensky later confirmed the swap, saying 277 Ukrainian servicemen were released
He posted photos and a video of the soldiers after returning home from captivity.During Saturday's televised meeting in the
operations to clear the border region of Ukrainian forces."The main part of the [Kursk] region's territory, where the invasion took place,
This is 1,260 square kilometers," Gerasimov said.Earlier in the day, Russia's Defense Ministry said its troops had captured the
key border town of Sudzha.While not addressing the Russian military's claim directly, Zelensky said his top commander told him that
Ukrainian forces remain in control of some parts of the border region."Today, our forces continued their activity on the territory of the
Kursk region and are holding their positions
In the Belgorod region, our warriors have advanced and expanded our zone of control," he wrote on X.Russia's Easter ceasefire announcement
and the prisoner exchange came a day after U.S
