Putin's Easter Ceasefire: A Brief Pause in Ukraine War

0:00On April 9, Vladimir Putin just announced a 32-hour ceasefire across Ukraine for the orthodox Easter weekend. The decree from the Kremlin orders Russian forces to hold fire, starting at 4 p.m. Saturday until the end of Sunday, halting hostilities in every direction. This comes right after Volodymyr Zelensky called for a pause on hitting each other's energy infrastructure over the holiday. He floated the idea through the U.S., which has been trying to mediate between Moscow and Kiev as the war drags into its fifth year. No word yet from Kiev on Putin's move. Past short ceasefires, like last Easter's 30-hour one, fell apart quick, with both sides pointing fingers at violations. The Kremlin says troops should stay ready for any Ukrainian provocations, helping Kiev follow suit. Russia has turned down longer truces pushed by the U.S. and Ukraine, pushing instead for a full deal while talk stall in the front line stretches eight. With U.S. focus shifting to the Middle East and battles raging on, this brief pause might

1:04ease Easter tensions, but changes little in the big picture.