The Japan Times - Ukrainians sceptical as Kremlin orders Easter truce

The Kremlin said it had ordered a temporary truce to be in effect from Saturday afternoon until the end of Sunday, a 32-hour period during which Russia would stop fighting "in all directions".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky -- who has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in the four-year war -- said Kyiv was willing to reciprocate.

But in Kyiv there was scepticism over whether Moscow would keep to its promise for a rare respite in a war that has killed hundreds of thousands and decimated eastern Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.

"No one believes in these fairytales anymore," Yevgeniy Lamakh, an IT specialist, told AFP in central Kyiv.

"The Russian military lie a lot, usually, as history shows. And in general, they say one thing, but in fact do something completely different," the 29-year-old said.

The truce -- according to Moscow -- will start on 4:00 pm (1300 GMT) on Saturday.

"Well then do it, if you want to do it!" snorted Dmytro Sova, a 42-year-old actor, speaking to AFP in Kyiv.

"Even today... Shaheds, missiles are flying at Ukraine. Well, come on then, start the ceasefire," Sova said.

Ukraine's air force said Russia fired 128 drones in its latest overnight attack.

Russia has fired long-range drones -- usually hundreds -- at Ukraine every single day since May 10, 2025, according to Ukraine's data.

- 'Pessimist' -

Moscow has rejected calls for a longer-term unconditional ceasefire, something that Kyiv has called for, saying it is instead pushing for a final peace settlement.

But negotiations between two sides, brokered by the United States, have stalled over the fate of Ukraine's eastern regions, partly occupied by Russia and that Moscow wants Kyiv to cede.

Ukraine has frequently ruled it out, saying such move would only embolden Russia and leave it vulnerable to fresh attack.

"They need to be pressured so that they simply sit down at the negotiating table, withdraw their troops from our country and leave forever," Sova said.

The mood in Kyiv contrasted with the streets of Moscow, where locals were optimistic it could be the first step towards a broader agreement.

"I'm only for peace, that's all I can say. Thanks to Putin, maybe things will keep going well from here on," Elena, a 58-year-old hairdresser told AFP.

A view echoed by pensioner Lyubov Pavlenko who called the ceasefire "wonderful" news.

"I'm in favour of peace on Earth. And I want this whole war, of course, to end as soon as possible," the 59-year-old said.

Russia announced a similar truce with Ukraine over Orthodox Easter last year.

Back then, both sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire hundreds of times -- a fact that makes Yuriy Dunai, a 46-year-old Kyiv resident, a "pessimist" as to this latest attempt at halting the war.

"They were not observed a single time. It seems to me that it is not worth expecting a miracle," he told AFP.

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M.Ito--JT