President Vladimir Putin has introduced an surprising and temporary unilateral Easter truce in Russia’s conflict on Ukraine whereas Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists that Russian “assault operations” and “artillery hearth are ongoing”.
Zelenskyy initially referred to as the announcement on Saturday “one other try by Putin to play with human lives. … Air raid alerts are spreading throughout Ukraine,” and “Shahed drones in our skies reveal Putin’s true angle towards Easter and towards human life.”
The Ukrainian chief mentioned in a while X that his nation would abide by a truce “if Russia is now abruptly prepared to actually interact in a format of full and unconditional silence” and steered extending a ceasefire.
In his shock transfer, Putin mentioned in televised feedback whereas chatting with the Russian army’s chief of the final workers, Valery Gerasimov: “Right now from 18:00 [15:00 GMT] to midnight Sunday [21:00 GMT on Sunday], the Russian aspect pronounces an Easter truce.” He added that the truce is predicated on “humanitarian issues”.
Putin mentioned he assumed Ukraine would observe Russia’s instance and mentioned Kyiv’s actions through the ceasefire would present its readiness for a peaceable settlement.
However the Russian president additionally advised Gerasimov to prepared troops to repel any violations of the truce by Ukraine.
The Russian Ministry of Defence posted on Telegram: “The ceasefire regime is being launched for humanitarian functions and shall be noticed by the Russian Joint Group of Troops, supplied that it’s mutually noticed by the Kyiv regime”.
Ukrainian Overseas Minister Andrii Sybiha countered that Putin’s phrase “can’t be trusted and we are going to have a look at actions, not phrases”.
Sybiha added that Ukraine had “agreed unconditionally to the U.S. proposal of a full interim ceasefire for 30 days” in March, which Russia rejected. “Putin has now made statements about his alleged readiness for a ceasefire. 30 hours as a substitute of 30 days,” Sybiha continued on X.
Earlier makes an attempt at holding ceasefires for Easter in April 2022 and Orthodox Christmas in January 2023 weren’t carried out after each side didn’t agree on them.
Reporting from Moscow, Al Jazeera’s Yulia Shapovalova mentioned this may be the primary time Russia has suspended hearth because the starting of the conflict in Ukraine.
“Little doubt this choice can be positively obtained right here and all over the world. This transfer actually offers hope to lots of people, and the timing can be proper because the Christian world is celebrating Easter as of late,” she mentioned.
Putin’s announcement got here a day after United States President Donald Trump said Washington will “take a cross” on making an attempt to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict if both Moscow or Kyiv makes it too troublesome to finish it.
Final month, Putin agreed to halt assaults on vitality infrastructure targets in Ukraine for 30 days after a telephone name with Trump however stopped wanting accepting a broader US-backed 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine has mentioned it is able to implement.
In line with Russian media reviews, Putin on Saturday accused Ukraine of violating the truce on assaults on vitality infrastructure greater than 100 instances however mentioned the state of affairs on the entrance traces has been beneficial to Russia thus far. Ukraine has additionally cited quite a few violations by Russia in current weeks.
Putin mentioned Moscow “has at all times been prepared for negotiations” and welcomed the US, Chinese language and different international locations’ efforts to make sure a good settlement on Ukraine.
‘Russia saying one factor and doing one other’
Hanna Shelest, safety programmes director on the suppose tank Ukrainian Prism, advised Al Jazeera that Putin’s newest truce announcement has to do with Trump’s feedback on Friday.
“For the Kremlin, the present US administration … is rather more open to the calls for of Moscow and extra open than European companions,” she mentioned.
“In order that they [Kremlin officials] really feel they will manipulate the White Home rather more than Berlin or London or Paris,” she added.
Reporting from Kyiv, Al Jazeera’s Zein Basravi mentioned folks in Ukraine are Putin’s announcement cynically.
“Ukrainians will let you know that they agreed to a ceasefire greater than 30 days in the past and that Russia didn’t. Based mostly on the responses we’ve seen from … MPs, civil and army officers and bloggers, everybody right here feels that is merely a method for Vladimir Putin to hold out a publicity stunt and purchase a while with the White Home,” he mentioned.
“Ukrainians really feel that is one other instance of Russia saying one factor and doing one other,” he added.
Russia launched eight missiles and 87 drones in an in a single day assault on Ukraine, the Ukrainian air pressure mentioned on Saturday.
Air defence models shot down 33 Russian drones, and one other 36 drones had been redirected by digital warfare, the Ukrainian air pressure added. It gave no particulars on the missiles. Injury was recorded in 5 areas within the south, northeast and east, it mentioned.
Shelest famous that often a ceasefire can be accepted very positively in Ukraine, however you will need to see the fact play out on the entrance traces.
“Ukraine is prepared and can attempt to have it [a ceasefire], however Ukraine needs to be on excessive alert as a result of earlier experiences have demonstrated we can not calm down,” she mentioned.
Prisoner swap
Within the meantime, the Russian Defence Ministry mentioned Russia and Ukraine on Saturday performed a swap of 246 prisoners every that was mediated by the United Arab Emirates.
Zelenskyy mentioned 277 Ukrainian service personnel had returned house from Russian captivity within the newest swap.
The Russian former prisoners of conflict are in Belarus, the place they had been being supplied with medical and psychological care, the ministry mentioned.
Zelenskyy thanked the UAE for mediating the change. He mentioned a complete of 4,552 Ukrainians – service personnel and civilians – had been returned because the begin of Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
