Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared a 32-hour ceasefire in the ongoing war with Ukraine to mark Orthodox Easter, with Kyiv confirming it will observe the truce.
The ceasefire, announced by the Kremlin on April 9, 2026, is set to begin Saturday at 16:00 Moscow time and end at midnight on Sunday. Moscow expressed hope that Ukraine would respect the pause in hostilities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had previously called for such a truce and is ready to comply, provided Russia does the same.
He stated, “Ukraine is ready to act accordingly if the other side respects its obligations. We had requested an Easter ceasefire this year and we will adhere to it.”
Norway Accused of Supporting Ukraine Attacks
Russia has accused Norway of assisting Ukraine in planning and carrying out attacks targeting Russian commercial ships, raising concerns about a wider escalation involving NATO.
According to Russian media, around 50 Ukrainian drones were sent to Norway for testing as part of a plan to strike Russian vessels near Murmansk, a key Arctic port.
Norway’s intelligence services had earlier warned that Russia poses a security threat to Europe, while Russia dismissed the allegations as baseless.
Russian officials also stated that they would not attack NATO unless directly provoked.
Ukraine Pushes to Exclude Russia from Art Event
Ukraine has imposed sanctions on five individuals expected to represent Russia at the Venice Biennale art exhibition scheduled for May 2026.
The Venice Biennale, held every two years in Italy, is one of the world’s largest art exhibitions.
Ukraine’s Culture Minister said Russia should not participate in international cultural events while the war continues, adding that efforts are ongoing to block its participation.
Several European ministers have also supported the call to exclude Russia from the event.
