Watch: Putin attends Orthodox Easter service amid ceasefire declaration in Ukraine

This development comes hours after Putin announced a unilateral ceasefire with Ukraine until Sunday, which Kyiv alleged that they were just words.

Putin was seen holding a thin red candle and wearing a blue suit, with white shirt and red tie, while he crossed himself multiple times after Kirill announced “Christ is risen.” The traditional service started late on Saturday and goes on till the early hours of Sunday.

Russian President Putin joins HUNDREDS in a breathtaking Easter service at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior https://t.co/e3G81wwe73 pic.twitter.com/cMxKBqBaZi

— RT (@RT_com) April 19, 2025

For the Orthodox Russians, Easter remains the most important religious holiday and for Putin, Orthodox faith has been the hub of his world view as he attends services during all the major church holidays.

Kirill, head of Russia’s Orthodox Church, called for “lasting and just peace to be established in the vast expanses of historical Rus,” Reuters reported quoting RIA news agency, and Kirill referred to a medieval territory which is now part of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

“How wonderfully it was said, do not do evil to another and do not treat others as you would not want them to treat you. If people adhered to this holiday commandment, then life would be completely different: family and social life and let me say this inter-governmental,” Kirill further added, as reported by TASS news agency.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has claimed that Russia didn’t practice the truce it announced as Ukrainian forces reported 59 instances of Russian shelling and five assault attempts along the front line on Easter morning.