Russia declares ceasefire with Ukraine on May 8-9 in honor of Victory Day

Russia declared a ceasefire with Ukraine for May 8-9 “in honor of the celebration of the Soviet people’s victory in the Great Patriotic War.”

In a statement on Telegram, the Russian Defense Ministry said it hopes Ukraine will follow suit.

The ministry said Russia will take “all necessary” measures to ensure the security of the celebrations, citing a statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “which contains threats to strike Moscow specifically on May 9.”

“If the Kyiv regime attempts to implement its criminal plans to disrupt the celebration of the 81st anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Russian Armed Forces will launch a retaliatory, massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv,” the ministry said.

“Russia, despite its capabilities, has previously refrained from such actions for humanitarian reasons,” it added. “We warn the civilian population of Kyiv and employees of foreign diplomatic missions of the need to leave the city promptly.”

Ukrainian authorities have not yet responded to Moscow's announcement of a two-day ceasefire.

Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy said that talks on a possible ceasefire for May 9 took place between the United States and Russia, with no Ukrainian officials involved.

“You know, the Americans talked to the Russians about what could happen there on May 9—ceasefire or no ceasefire,” Ukrinform reported, quoting Zelenskyy. “No one officially contacted us, no one officially offered anything.”

Zelenskyy also warned that Ukrainian drones could fly over Moscow on May 9, when Russia is set to host a military parade marking Victory Day.

Speaking at the 8th European Political Community summit in Yerevan, Armenia's capital, Zelenskyy said Russia would, for the first time, reportedly avoid holding a full-scale military equipment parade this year.

According to Zelenskyy, this development shows that Moscow is “no longer as strong as they used to be.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump, proposing a ceasefire in Ukraine for the period of Victory Day celebrations.

A Russian presidential aide for foreign affairs, Yury Ushakov, said Trump endorsed the idea.