Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine to mark the Easter holiday, according to a statement issued by the Kremlin on Saturday. The truce, described as a humanitarian gesture, will be in effect from 6:00 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) on Saturday until midnight on Sunday (2100 GMT), following Orthodox Easter celebrations.

“Guided by humanitarian considerations, today from 18:00 to 00:00 from Sunday to Monday, the Russian side declares an Easter truce. I order that all military actions be stopped for this period,” President Putin was quoted as saying during a meeting with Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov. The announcement was made through the Kremlin’s official press service.

Putin expressed hope that Ukraine would reciprocate the gesture. “We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example,” he said, while also instructing Russian troops to remain vigilant. “At the same time, our troops must be ready to repel possible violations of the truce and provocations from the enemy, any of its aggressive actions.”

So far, there has been no official response from Kyiv regarding the proposed ceasefire. Ukrainian officials have yet to confirm whether they will observe the temporary truce.

The ceasefire announcement came on the same day Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed a military gain near the Ukraine border. Russian forces reportedly captured the village of Oleshnya in the Kursk region — one of the last Ukrainian footholds in that area, according to the ministry. However, the Associated Press noted that it could not independently verify the claim, and Ukrainian authorities have not issued a statement in response.

The announcement of the truce arrives amid continued hostilities in eastern and southern Ukraine, with both sides engaged in intense fighting despite periodic calls for peace. Previous attempts at temporary ceasefires, including those tied to religious holidays, have often failed to hold due to mutual accusations of violations.

The Kremlin’s move appears to be an attempt to frame Russia’s actions as being guided by humanitarian motives, possibly aimed at improving its international image during a deeply entrenched conflict. Nonetheless, observers remain skeptical about the effectiveness or sincerity of such temporary measures without a broader agreement in place.

The Orthodox Easter, a significant religious holiday in both Russia and Ukraine, is often seen as an opportunity for brief moments of reflection and reprieve from conflict. Whether this latest ceasefire will bring any tangible pause to the violence remains uncertain.

In his first major public address since leaving office, former U.S. President Joe Biden launched a scathing critique of his successor, accusing President Donald Trump of dismantling the nation’s welfare system and putting millions of Americans at risk.

Speaking at a disability rights event in Chicago on Tuesday, Biden, 82, took aim at recent developments within the Social Security Administration (SSA), which provides vital benefits to over 70 million Americans. He warned that job cuts and funding reductions under Trump’s leadership could severely disrupt the delivery of services to some of the country’s most vulnerable citizens.

“In fewer than 100 days, this new administration has done so much damage and so much destruction. It’s kind of breathtaking,” Biden told the audience. “Social Security deserves to be protected for the good of the nation as a whole.”

Biden accused Trump of taking “a hatchet” to the country’s welfare safety net in a bid to slash federal spending. Though Trump has repeatedly vowed not to cut Social Security benefits, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an unofficial agency aligned with the administration, plans to eliminate 7,000 jobs from the SSA.

The plan is being overseen by DOGE head and Trump ally Elon Musk, who has controversially called Social Security “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.” The proposed staffing cuts have sparked widespread concern that benefit payments may be delayed or disrupted due to reduced agency capacity.

Already, thousands of SSA employees have departed the agency, leading to reports of website crashes and unresponsive customer service lines. Biden said such dysfunction could lead to “a calamity for millions of families” who rely on timely benefits.

Criticizing the speed and aggression of Trump’s budget cuts, Biden remarked that the administration is “shooting first and aiming later.” He emphasized the long-standing bipartisan consensus that Social Security should remain untouched, calling its preservation a moral obligation.

In response to Biden’s remarks, the Trump administration accused the former president of spreading misinformation. “He’s lying to Americans,” a White House spokesperson said.

Jason Turkish, a prominent disability lawyer based in Michigan who represents 32,000 clients, echoed Biden’s concerns. “There’s always been a belief that Social Security is just something we do not touch,” he said. “But now, people are genuinely worried.”

Since leaving office earlier this year, Biden has largely remained out of the political spotlight, aside from occasional public appearances. He was recently seen attending the opening night of Othello on Broadway and frequently commutes between his Delaware home and his Washington, D.C., office.

Tuesday’s address marks a return to the national stage for Biden and signals his growing concern over the direction of domestic policy under the Trump administration.

As Russia continues to occupy nearly one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory, millions of Ukrainians remain trapped behind enemy lines, enduring repression, intimidation, and daily fear—but many refuse to leave, clinging to hope that liberation will come.

Among them is a woman from southeastern Ukraine, a member of Zla Mavka, an all-female non-violent resistance group. Speaking to CNN under strict anonymity due to the danger, she described life under occupation as “exhausting and incredibly scary.”

“You can be arrested for anything,” she said. “You can’t speak freely, trust anyone, or even keep certain items in your home. Every day is a risk.”

Zla Mavka, named after a mystical forest spirit in Ukrainian folklore, focuses on preserving Ukrainian identity by secretly distributing literature, celebrating national holidays, and fostering cultural pride. “We want to remind everyone—this is not Russia and never was,” she said.

The risks are severe. Ukrainian citizens in occupied regions are being pressured to take Russian passports, with refusal often leading to arrest, torture, or deportation. Human rights groups have denounced these tactics as violations of international law. Without Russian documentation, residents cannot work, access medical care, or call emergency services. “You can’t even call an ambulance,” the resistance member said.

Stepan, a 22-year-old Ukrainian who recently escaped to government-controlled Kherson, shared a harrowing account of his detention by Russian troops. He and his family were imprisoned without charges—he was tortured with electric shocks, and his parents were held for months. “I was afraid to leave the house,” he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently signed a decree requiring Ukrainians in occupied territories to adopt Russian citizenship by September or face expulsion. Ukrainian officials have urged residents to prioritize safety, even if that means accepting documents under duress.

While some residents support the occupation, both Stepan and the resistance member believe these individuals are a small minority—often those who benefit materially from aligning with the Russian regime. “They didn’t have much before. Now, shouting ‘I love Russia’ gets them a job and money,” the woman said.

Leaving the occupied zones is no easy task. Escape routes pass through Russian-controlled filtration points, where people are screened and interrogated. Many have been detained and sent to distant Russian facilities. Others must navigate a circuitous and expensive route through Russia and Europe to reach safety in Ukraine.

“It’s not just about territories,” the woman emphasized. “It’s about people. We are still here. We are waiting. And even if negotiations give our cities to Russia, resistance won’t stop.”

As international debates over peace negotiations and potential territorial concessions continue, those living under occupation remain defiant, unwilling to abandon their homes and their national identity—even in the face of overwhelming adversity.