Easter Ceasefire Declared by Putin Amid Largest Prisoner Swap Since War Began

In a rare development during the ongoing conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine over the Easter weekend, citing humanitarian grounds. The truce is set to begin at 6 p.m. Moscow time on Saturday and will last until midnight on Easter Sunday.
Coinciding with this announcement, Russia and Ukraine conducted their largest prisoner exchange since the war began over three years ago. Russia’s Ministry of Defence reported the return of 246 Russian service members from Ukrainian-controlled territory. In a gesture labeled as humanitarian, Moscow released 31 wounded Ukrainian prisoners in exchange for 15 injured Russian soldiers requiring urgent medical attention.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the return of 277 Ukrainian troops and criticized the ceasefire as a manipulative ploy by Putin. “Air raid alerts and Shahed drones continue to fill our skies. This truce only exposes Putin’s real stance on Easter and human life,” Zelenskyy said via X.
The ceasefire announcement also came amidst Russian military advances near the Kursk region—territory briefly held by Ukrainian forces following a surprise offensive last year.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are “coming to a head,” though U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned the United States may disengage if progress remains stalled.
This is the second time Putin has called for a religious holiday truce, the first being a 36-hour ceasefire for Orthodox Christmas in January 2023—a move Ukraine viewed as a tactical pause for Russian regrouping.