Ukraine and Russia declare ceasefires ahead of Victory Day in Moscow

Ukraine and Russia announced their respective cease-fire timetables ahead of Moscow’s May 9 Victory Day celebrations, with Kiev announcing it would cease hostilities before the Kremlin’s cease-fire window.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine would begin a ceasefire at midnight on May 5-6, adding that Moscow had not yet made a formal request on how to cease hostilities.“As of today, no official appeal has been made to Ukraine for the cessation of hostilities claimed on Russian social media,” Zelensky said onAnnouncing Kiev’s position, he added, “In this regard, we declare a ceasefire starting at 00:00 pm (2100 GMT) on May 5-6. It is realistic to ensure that silence is in effect for the remaining period until that moment.”Ukraine said it would keep the truce going from then on, with Zelensky emphasizing humanitarian priorities over symbolic wartime commemorations.“We believe human life is worth more than any anniversary ‘celebration,'” he said.The Ukrainian president also criticized Russia’s focus on ensuring a Victory Day parade, saying: “It is time for the Russian leadership to take real steps to end the war, especially since the Russian Defense Ministry believes that it cannot hold a military parade in Moscow without Ukraine’s goodwill.”Russia, meanwhile, said its own ceasefire would last from May 8 to 9 in an order issued by President Vladimir Putin on the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II, known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War.Moscow said in a statement that “in order to celebrate the victory of the Soviet people in the Patriotic War, a ceasefire was announced on May 8 and 9, 2026.”“We hope that the Ukrainian side will follow suit,” it added.The Russian Defense Ministry also warned against any attempts to disrupt commemorations, saying: “If the Kiev regime attempts to carry out its criminal plan to disrupt the celebrations for the 81st anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will launch a retaliatory large-scale missile attack on the center of Kiev.”Victory Day is celebrated every year on May 9 to commemorate the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazi Germany and to commemorate the millions of people who lost their lives during World War II.