KABUL: Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, has announced a two-day ceasefire with Ukraine to mark the Orthodox Christian Easter.
The Kremlin said the truce will begin at 4:00 p.m. on April 11 and continue until the end of April 12, adding that Moscow expects Kyiv to take similar steps.
According to the statement, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has instructed Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov to halt all military operations during this period.
The Kremlin emphasized that Russian forces should remain ready to respond to any potential attacks or provocations.
So far, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine, has not immediately responded to the announcement, although he had previously proposed a ceasefire during the holiday period.