Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskiy have announced separate ceasefires ahead of Russia’s Victory Day commemorations, highlighting continued divisions in the conflict.
Russia declared a two-day ceasefire for May 8-9 to mark the 81st anniversary of victory in World War II. The Russian Defence Ministry said it expects Ukraine to comply and warned of retaliation if celebrations are disrupted.
“In the event of attempts by the Kyiv regime to implement its criminal plans to disrupt the celebration of the 81st anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will launch a retaliatory, massive missile attack on the centre of Kyiv,” the ministry said.
Officials also warned civilians in Kyiv and foreign diplomatic staff to leave the city in time.
In response, Zelenskiy announced Ukraine’s own ceasefire beginning at midnight on the night of May 5-6, saying the move reflects Kyiv’s priority on protecting lives.
“Human life is incomparably more valuable than the ‘celebration’ of any anniversary,” Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram, adding that Ukraine would “act symmetrically from the specified moment.”
He also criticized Moscow for failing to respond to Ukraine’s repeated calls for a longer-term ceasefire and earlier dismissed Russia’s proposal as “not serious.”
Russia celebrates Victory Day on May 9 with large commemorations marking the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. This year, however, Moscow said its annual military parade will not feature the usual display of heavy military equipment due to concerns over increased Ukrainian drone threats.
Ukraine has recently intensified long-range drone strikes inside Russia, including attacks targeting energy infrastructure. On Monday, officials reported a drone strike on a building in Moscow, while several others were intercepted.
Commenting on the scaled-back parade, Zelenskiy said if military hardware is absent from Red Square, “it will be the first time in many, many years they cannot afford military equipment and they fear drones may buzz over Red Square. This is telling.”
