Vladimir Putin announces 'Easter truce' with Ukraine as Russia temporarily halts fighting

"With humanitarian considerations, today from 6pm [Moscow time], from Sunday to Monday, the Russian side declares the Easter truce.

"I order to stop all hostilities during this period. We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example.

"At the same time our troops must be ready to reflect possible violations of the truce and provocations by the enemy in any of its aggressive actions.

"We know that the Kyiv regime has violated the agreement not to strike at the energy infrastructure more than a hundred times, as you reported to me.

"Therefore, I ask you to be extremely attentive and focused to be ready for an immediate response in full.

"Our decision on the Easter truce will show how sincere is the readiness of the Kyiv regime and its desire and ability to comply with the agreements, to participate in the peace talks aimed at eliminating the primary cause of the Ukrainian crisis."

LATEST ON VLADIMIR PUTIN:

• Putin heaps praise on Musk with bizarre comparison to Soviet hero - 'Such people rarely appear!'
• Putin vanishes from public view with Russian President only seen in pre-recorded videos for 10 days
• Putin supporters turn on Kremlin over Muslim migration fearing 'social explosion' similar to France

Meanwhile, the chief of Russia's general staff, Valery Gerasimov, has been ordered to ready Russian soldiers in case Ukraine keeps fighting.

"All commanders of groups in the special military operation zone" have been told to cease combat operations, a statement from Russia's Foreign Ministry said.

"The ceasefire is being introduced for humanitarian purposes and will be observed by the Russian Joint Group of Troops (Forces), provided that it is mutually observed by the Kyiv regime."

The move marks a major olive branch to Ukraine from the Orthodox Christian Russian premier, but it comes just hours after it emerged that the US was readying up to recognise Crimea as Russian soil - which would mark a major coup for Putin.

Sources familiar with negotiations told Bloomberg that formally handing the territory to Russia, 11 years after its troops invaded it, is set to form part of a broader peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

And today's call for a truce comes three years after the United Nations proposed an Easter ceasefire in 2022 - a few months after Putin's forces invaded.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres proposed the temporary truce for "opening a series of humanitarian corridors" and creating conditions "for the sage exit of all civilians wishing to leave the areas of confrontation" - but it never came to pass.

Ukraine said it agreed to the proposal - but Russia refused the truce "in order not to give the Kyiv nationalists a break".