Vance on Ukraine, Budanov on War’s End – Ukraine Latest, April 10

Russia’s Telegram ban, Budanov’s war-end teaser, closed-door briefing with Zelensky’s sanctions envoy – updates from Ukraine and beyond Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Ukrainian servicemen cover the road with a net to protect vehicles from drone attacks at an undisclosed location in the Zaporizhzhia region on April 10, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Darya NAZAROVA / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Orthodox Easter ceasefire – after President Volodymyr Zelensky’s weeks-long appeal, the Kremlin announced one without acknowledging Kyiv’s earlier calls. In any case, both sides have agreed and a 32-hour break is expected this weekend. And for those unfamiliar with why there are sometimes two Easters – we covered it a while back . Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . The ceasefire isn’t the only major news this weekend – Hungary is also set to hold elections on Sunday, though it is not looking bright for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as even Russian sources supposedly expect him to lose , blaming his team and likely spinning it as EU interference – eerily similar to what US Vice President JD Vance said two days ago; we also ran a fact-check on what Vance said in Hungary, where he offered up fibs and spins, and some stuff he just made up . There are also US-Iran talks in Islamabad this weekend, with Vance in attendance – here’s what to expect . Back in Ukraine, messaging from Bankova is slightly confusing – Zelensky said Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin (reportedly now with only 30% actual approval rating) might be bracing for a wider war with more sneaky mobilizations, while top negotiator and Presidential Office chief, Kyrylo Budanov, said the war could end soon and hinted at positive peace talks behind the scenes – adding that even US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner might come to Kyiv soon. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine Hits Russia’s Caspian Oil Platforms – Nearly 1,000 km From Home Ukrainian forces have struck two Russian offshore drilling platforms in the Caspian Sea used to support military fuel supplies overnight on Friday. Russia also imposed a full Telegram ban , with Zelensky saying it is either to suppress dissent ahead of a major mobilization or a difficult peace deal for domestic Russians, making the signals all the more confusing. And on the war front, Russia launched over a hundred drones overnight just hours after its Easter ceasefire announcement, while the Ukrainian military took out an S-300V System on the southern Zaporizhzhia front and expanded the recent oil strikes to the Caspian Sea . There is also positive news on the sanctions front, as Zelensky’s envoy said Dutch parts are no longer being found in Russian Shahed drones, though he cautioned that fresh chips, including US ones, are still showing up in new drones. Kyiv is also one step closer to unlocking the IMF funding by appointing the new head of the State Customs Service , while in the private sector, a Ukrainian industrial giant has helped equip a wind farm near the British coast. And for those in Europe – unless the Strait of Hormuz reopens soon, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying everyone is still working it out without providing details (and pinning it on Putin and Trump ) – a jet fuel crisis is expected to hit Europe during the summer travel season. Interested in more updates like this? Subscribe to our daily newsletter here . Leo Chiu is a journalist and editor based in Eastern Europe since 2015. He has witnessed two presidential elections in Belarus and traveled widely to conflict zones and contested regions, producing reporting that bridges the gap between major developments and local realities.