April 2026 Russo-Ukrainian truce
Temporary ceasefire during the Russo-Ukrainian war
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2026 Russo-Ukrainian truce was a brief truce between Russia and Ukraine, during their ongoing war. On 11 April 2026 at 13:00 UTC a 32-hour truce began for Orthodox Easter between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. The truce had been proposed by President Zelenskyy of Ukraine nearly a week before, and President Putin of Russia had set its period.[1]
Background
Since the escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian war in 2022, several attempts at temporary ceasefires and humanitarian pauses have been proposed, often linked to religious holidays or negotiations involving third party states.[2] These efforts have generally failed to achieve lasting reduction in the fighting due to low levels of trust between the parties and the continuation of military objectives on both sides.[3]
In early 2026, diplomatic contacts involving mediators, including meetings in the Middle East and Europe, sought to explore limited de-escalation measures. Around Orthodox Easter, a significant holiday in both countries, Russia and Ukraine agreed on a 32 hour truce.[4][5]
Events
The truce was announced shortly before Orthodox Easter and was intended to last approximately 32 hours. The truce terms included a temporary stop of offensive military operations, a reduction in artillery and missile strikes and respect for humanitarian conditions along the frontlines. In the days leading up to the truce, the two sides carried out a prisoner exchange involving approximately 175 detainees which was viewed as a confidence building measure.[5]
The truce formally began on 11 April 2026. Despite the announcement both countries reported continuing military operations during the ceasefire.[3] Ukraine claimed 469 violations by Russia, mostly drone attacks.[6] Russian also claimed violations, albeit not as numerous.[7] Immediately beforehand 175 prisoners were exchanged, notably including 27 Ukrainian officers, in the 72nd[8] such exchange of the war.[9]
The truce expired on 13 April 2026. Full scale fighting resumed immediately across multiple sectors of the frontline.[2][10]