Earlier today, Vladimir Putin declared an “Easter truce” in the war on Ukraine, stating that Russia would cease “all hostilities” from 6:00 p.m. Moscow time Saturday night to midnight Monday, April 21st, and that “We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example.” [Kosta Gak, et al., CNN, April 19, 2025.]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted to X that Russia’s announcement was “yet another attempt by Putin to play with human lives. At this moment, air raid alerts are spreading across Ukraine. At 17:15 [5:15 p.m.], Russian attack drones were detected in our skies. Shahed drones in our skies reveal Putin’s true attitude toward Easter and toward human life.”

Reports from Ukraine were that, as of 7:00 p.m., sirens were sounding in Kyiv and several other regions, and that “the Russians continue to fire in all directions.” Ukrainian troops at three separate locations on the front lines said there was no sign of a cessation in fighting. [Id.]

But that shouldn’t surprise anyone. Putin’s seemingly magnanimous offer — likely a knee-jerk reaction to yesterday’s U.S. threat to withdraw from negotiations if both sides failed to step up — would hardly be expected to filter down to the troops, already engaged in combat at the front lines, in time to effect a total ceasefire by a 6:00 p.m. deadline.

It was a grand gesture, an “отвлекающий маневр” (diversionary tactic), intended both to lend credence to his protestations of wanting to end the war, and to give him time to stall negotiations just a little longer.

Like the little boy who cried wolf, he has used up all of his chances. Why should anyone ever take him seriously again?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/19/25