Putin declines to extend Easter ceasefire, says Kremlin
Photo: Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin did not issue an order to extend the Easter ceasefire, reports TASS.
“Putin did not give an order to extend the Easter ceasefire,” Peskov stated.
Background: Was there a ceasefire in Ukraine?
On Thursday, Putin announced what he called an “Easter ceasefire” from 6:00 PM (Moscow time) on April 19 to midnight on April 21. He claimed he had ordered a halt to all combat operations.
In response, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to the ceasefire and warned that Ukraine would respond symmetrically if Russia violated it. The Ukrainian leader also repeatedly urged Putin to extend the ceasefire beyond April 20. He specifically proposed a 30-day full cessation of hostilities.
Despite that, fighting continued along the front line, although it somewhat decreased. At the same time, the number of shelling incidents dropped.
Still, despite the situation on the front, the night in Ukraine was completely calm. No air raid alerts were reported in any region.
As of 4:00 PM (Kyiv time) today, according to Ukraine’s General Staff and President Zelenskyy, Russia is continuing combat operations, violating the declared ceasefire. Russian forces are also increasing their use of heavy weapons.
Moreover, Ukrainian forces suffered casualties in the Toretsk direction. In response, Zelenskyy vowed to retaliate, again stressing that Ukraine would act symmetrically.
For more details on the president’s update, read RBC-Ukraine's report.
