The Easter truce between Ukraine and Russia: When will it begin, and how long will it last?

A pause in hostilities is expected on the front lines in connection with the spring Orthodox holidays. Although the Kremlin issued the ceasefire order, Kyiv was the one who first proposed the idea back in March. Find out the exact dates, start time, and duration of the Easter truce in 2026

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The Russian leadership has officially announced a ceasefire for the duration of the Easter holidays, issuing the relevant orders to the military command. It is noteworthy that the Ukrainian side was the first to propose suspending hostilities, although Moscow has long sought to deny this fact.

When will the Easter truce begin in Ukraine?

According to an official statement from the Kremlin, the ceasefire will take effect on April 11, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has already instructed Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov to completely halt hostilities on all fronts by that time. In its statement, Moscow also said it expects similar steps from the Ukrainian command.

How long will the Easter ceasefire last?

The pause in hostilities is scheduled to last just over 24 hours—it will end at the close of the day on April 12, 2026. For comparison, last year the Russian side also announced a ceasefire for the holidays, but the timeframe was longer then: the ceasefire was to be in effect from the evening of April 19 until the end of the day on April 21.

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Who proposed the ceasefire?

Kyiv is the actual initiator of the Easter pause. Back in late March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced his readiness to temporarily cease fire during the holidays. According to the Ukrainian leader’s assessment, Russian troops would be physically unable to build new fortifications or significantly strengthen their positions within two or three days of a ceasefire, so this humanitarian initiative would not affect the overall situation on the front lines.

Will There Be a Ceasefire for Easter?

The Russian leadership’s rhetoric regarding the Ukrainian proposal remained inconsistent until the very last moment. Initially, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov claimed that Kyiv had allegedly not put forward any clear initiatives. Later, literally on the morning of April 9, he told journalists that a final decision on the ceasefire had not yet been made. However, shortly after these remarks, the Kremlin issued an official order for a ceasefire.

Reminder! Young defenders of Ukraine have received the long-awaited right to a legal break from service. Military personnel aged 18 to 25 who have successfully completed their first one-year contract are now protected from re-mobilization for a full year. Find out how this leave application process works.

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