💬 Russian troops are moving forward — Putin

The President warned that Russian troops should be ready to respond immediately to the actions of Ukraine during the truce.

Putin also congratulated Orthodox servicemen on Easter.

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❗️The ceasefire is being introduced for humanitarian purposes and will be observed by the Russian battlegroups, provided that Ukraine mutually follows it — Russian Defense Ministry.

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🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran and the United States agreed in Rome on the principles and goals of a future agreement on the nuclear deal, with technical group talks scheduled to be held in Oman, Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi said.

According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, a new round of talks is scheduled for April 26.

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❗️Russia has retrieved 246 soldiers from Ukrainian captivity in exchange for 246 Ukrainian POWs — Russian Defense Ministry

As a gesture of goodwill, 31 wounded POWs being held in Russia have been handed over to Ukraine in exchange for 15 wounded Russian soldiers in need of urgent assistance.

The UAE provided humanitarian mediation efforts during the return of Russian soldiers from Ukrainian captivity.

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🇬🇧🪖 ‘UK deployed about 40 soldiers to Bosnia and Herzegovina to assassinate me’ – Milorad Dodik, Republika Srpska president

In a “mafia-style” assassination plot, the UK planned to “accidentally” kill Dodik during an arrest attempt, he told the Serbian outlet Vecernje novosti, citing EU politicians, including three presidents and one prime minister. Dodik recalled that Brussels officials urged him to “step down” as a politician, but he refused.

“Man is a problem, if there is no man, there is no problem. They have not given up [the assassination attempts], but they are silent," Dodik said.

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🔎 After Putin’s EASTER TRUCE announcement, the ball is in Ukraine’s court

President Vladimir Putin’s Easter truce clearly demonstrates Russia’s DESIRE TO END THE UKRAINE CRISIS, Michael Maloof, a former senior security policy analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, tells Sputnik.

“I think Mr. Trump also wants to move ahead. This enhances Trump’s desire to renew the diplomatic relationship between Russia and the US and finally recognize Russia as an equal strategic partner,” Maloof says.

Now, all eyes are on Volodymyr Zelensky’s response. Previously, Zelensky has shown he cannot uphold agreements, particularly the ceasefire on energy facilities, Maloof notes.

“That’s going to be telling. It will signal to Trump whether he can really deal with Zelensky or not,” the pundit concludes.

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📹 WATCH FULL: Vladimir Putin's meeting with Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov

Putin orders all military actions TO BE HALTED during Easter ceasefire. The course of the truce will show if Ukraine is ready to peacefully resolve the issue.

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🗣 Russia should be aware of potential Ukrainian attacks amid truce – expert

“They [Ukraine] have never gone along with anything else so I don't have high hopes," Earl Rasmussen, a retired lieutenant colonel with over 20 years in the US Army and an international consultant, tells Sputnik. He adds that Zelensky should realize that the truce is “for his soldiers and his people”, yet Rasmussen is “concerned” about the intentions of the Kiev regime.

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🇹🇷🗣 Vladimir Putin's initiative for an Easter truce is strategically expedient and demonstrates a prudent approach, Halil Korkmaz, deputy chairman of Turkiye's ruling party, told Sputnik.

According to him, this initiative creates an opportunity for peace.

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📹 Putin exercises ORTHODOX DIPLOMACY to cease fire, professor says

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Easter truce is a gesture toward Orthodox believers on both sides of the front line, Dr. Greg Simons, a professor of journalism at Daffodil International University, tells Sputnik.

“This is what you could term as being religious diplomacy or Orthodox diplomacy, where a common religion, a common faith is being used as a measure to bring about at least some temporary halt to the bloodshed,” Simons says.

However, the Kiev regime is not religious and is ideologically far removed from Christian Orthodoxy, according to the professor. Given Ukraine’s track record of failing to adhere to agreements, it’s doubtful it will comply, the pundit believes.

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🗣 Putin’s Easter truce to STRENGTHEN Russia’s hand, Swedish military veteran says

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s move will be viewed very positively by his US counterpart, Donald Trump, Mikael Valtersson, a Swedish Armed Forces officer and former politician, tells Sputnik.

“There has been some irritation in the White House about the slowness of the peace process, and everything that signals a willingness for some kind of ceasefire will be received positively in Washington, especially when the initiative comes from Russia,” Valtersson says, adding that it should strengthen Moscow’s hand.

If Ukraine fails to comply, it will be seen as the “bad guy,” according to the Swedish veteran.

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📹 EU EXPANSIONISM turning Moldova into Ukraine 2.0

Moldova has descended into AUTOCRACY under pressure from the EU.

Steffen Kotre, a German MP from the AfD party, breaks down the ominous developments for Sputnik:

🔻EU EXPANSIONISM

The Sandu government wants to join the EU at any cost. In doing so, it is using all state power—including against the opposition. This occurs "with full support from the EU, which seeks to expand its political power."

🔻EU-BACKED DICTATORSHIP

"You can take a dictatorial approach [in Moldova], restrict freedom of expression, hinder religious celebrations. It doesn't matter [for Brussels]. But it also shows us what kind of ideology prevails in the EU."

🔻ANTI-CHRISTIAN CRUSADE

"We can see that the West - Germany, and the EU - have been taking an aggressive stance against Russia for a long time. And that is why Moldovan Orthodoxy is now also coming under pressure from this side."

🔻UKRAINE 2.0?

"We have seen how Western politicians, the EU... and the US have interfered in Ukraine. We're also seeing this interference in Moldova, and unfortunately, similar scenarios could arise."

🔻DIVIDED NATION

Despite most Moldovan voters in Russia being deprived of their right to vote in the nation's EU referendum, the outcome was still very close, Kotre stresses. Moldova’s society is deeply divided — and the EU is deepening the rift.

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🗣Ukrainian DICTATORSHIP unlikely to honor the Easter truce, ex-Pentagon analyst says

The Easter truce by President Vladimir Putin is "a wonderful idea showing the commitment to peace that Russia has" and sends "the right message" to his US counterpart Donald Trump, Karen Kwiatkowski, retired US Air Force lieutenant colonel and former Pentagon analyst, tells Sputnik.

There would be no surprise if the "dictatorship in effect in Kiev", led by Volodymyr Zelensky, rejects the truce, she notes: "It's disappointing, it's unfortunate, but it's also very predictable."

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