Russia, Ukraine Agree To Breakthrough 32-hour Orthodox Easter Ceasefire

In a huge and very positive development, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has announced a 32-hour ceasefire for Orthodox Easter, or Pascha, which is this weekend. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has immediately confirmed that Ukraine will honor the holiday truce. 

“We proceed on the basis that the Ukrainian side will follow the example of the Russian Federation,” the Kremlin then further confirmed in a statement.

Based on regional media reporting of the rare ceasefire, the pause in fighting will begin at 4pm Moscow time (13:00GMT) on Saturday and run until midnight on Sunday.

This will cover the whole period of Pascha celebrations in both countries, which is done according to the Julian calendar and thus typically comes a weekend or two later that Western Easter (on the Gregorian calendar). The overwhelming majorities of both countries are adherents of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Typically in orthodox churches there is a long Saturday morning service, and then the main liturgy comes at midnight – going into the early Sunday morning hours, followed by feasting and breaking the Lenten fast. And then late Sunday morning or early after noon there is another service, after which there is more celebratory feasting.

Russian media reports that Defense Minister Andrei Belousov has instructed Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov to halt Russian military operations during the period; however, just like in past short truces Russia says it will respond immediately to any ‘violations’ observed.

Zelensky meanwhile confirmed that “Ukraine has repeatedly stated that we are ready for reciprocal steps. We proposed a ceasefire during the Easter holiday this year and will act accordingly.”

“People need an Easter without threats and a real move towards peace, and Russia has a chance not to return to attacks even after Easter,” he added.

Such a holiday truce has been tried in the past, but is typically marred by frontline ‘violations’ and tit-for-tat accusations and denunciations.

But this year, after well over four years of brutal fighting which has taken likely hundreds of thousands of lives, there is a good chance the Easter truce will hold given the sheer exhaustion and war-weariness on each side.

What’s more is that if there is success, it could provide the basis for something more lasting, as both sides say they are still interested in hammering out a permanent end to the war. But for Moscow, this will require that Ukraine cede much of the east and give political recognition too, including over Crimea.