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Military operation in Ukraine

Kremlin says unaware of Vatican’s proposal on Easter truce in Ukraine

This year, the Catholic Church celebrates Easter on April 9, while Orthodox Easter takes place on April 16

MOSCOW, April 7. /TASS/. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday refused to comment on reports about Pope Francis’s appeal for an Easter in the zone of the special military operation, since the Vatican itself has not made any statement on that.

Earlier on Friday, Leonid Sevastyanov, the leader of the World Union of Old Believers, told TASS that the pontiff had called for a two-week truce in the zone of hostilities in Ukraine and in the new regions of Russia from April 9 during the celebration of Easter and post-Easter weeks by Catholics and Orthodox Christians.

"Indeed, we have read the news reported by the high esteemed official [Sevastyanov] who has met with the pontiff, but we have not heard any statements by the Vatican regarding this, therefore we do not find it necessary or possible to comment on that," Peskov told reporters, when he was asked if a truce could be held on the front line for Easter holidays.

This year, the Catholic Church celebrates Easter on April 9, while Orthodox Easter takes place on April 16.

In early January, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill called for a Christmas ceasefire in Ukraine and Donbass. After that, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the country’s Armed Forces to introduce a ceasefire along the entire line of combat engagement in the zone of the special military operation on January 6-7, an announcement that Ukraine rejected.

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Ukraine Military operation in Ukraine

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