Russia, Ukraine declare ceasefire around Victory Day commemorations

Russia and Ukraine have both announced ceasefire measures in early May, as diplomatic signals emerge alongside heightened tensions ahead of Russia's Victory Day commemorations.

Russia's Defense Ministry said Monday that a ceasefire would be observed on May 8-9 to mark the 81st anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, known in Russia as the Victory Day.

The ministry said the truce was ordered by President Vladimir Putin and expressed hope that Ukraine would reciprocate. It added that Russian forces would take "all necessary measures" to ensure security during the commemorations.

At the same time, the ministry warned that any attempts to disrupt the events could prompt a "massive missile strike" on central Kyiv. It claimed Russia had previously refrained from such actions for humanitarian reasons, while urging civilians and foreign diplomatic personnel in Kyiv to leave the city.

Putin had earlier raised the idea of a temporary truce during an April 29 phone call with US President Donald Trump, signaling Moscow's willingness to pause hostilities during the commemorative period.

Ukraine outlines separate ceasefire timeline

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that Ukraine would implement its own ceasefire starting at midnight on May 5-6.

"We are announcing a ceasefire regime starting at 00:00 on the night of May 5-6. In the time left until that moment, it is realistic to ensure that silence takes effect," Zelenskyy wrote on X.

Zelenskyy also said Kyiv had not received any formal communication detailing the terms of the ceasefire proposal referenced in Russian discussions.

"If Moscow is prepared to end hostilities, it can do so already tomorrow night. Ukraine is ready: at midnight from May 5th to May 6th," Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha wrote on X.

"Peace cannot wait until 'parades' and 'celebrations,'" he stressed.

Sybiha also called on Ukraine's partners, peace-supporting nations and international organizations to back the call for ending hostilities.

Despite the parallel announcements, it remains unclear whether the two sides' ceasefire timelines and conditions align, raising questions about whether a coordinated pause in fighting will materialize during the Victory Day period.