Russia will hold a two-day cease-fire in its war in Ukraine from May 8 to 9 to commemorate the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe — as Kyiv announced its own cease-fire for two days earlier.
President Vladimir Putin declared the cease-fire plans Monday and said the Kremlin would launch a massive strike on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv if the temporary truce was broken.
“Despite the capabilities at our disposal, Russia has previously refrained from such actions on humanitarian grounds,” the Russian Defense Ministry said, according to Reuters.
“We are warning the civilian population of Kyiv and staff at foreign diplomatic missions of the need to leave the city in a timely manner,” it added.
The cease-fire falls on the 81st anniversary of Victory in Europe day – May 8, 1945 – when Nazi Germany finally surrendered and ended World War II’s main theater of combat. The war didn’t fully end until months later on Aug. 15, when Japan surrendered to the US.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky responded to the cease-fire announcement — which it said had been declared without any communication from Russia – with a declaration of his own cease-fire for days earlier, beginning May 6.
He suggested that Ukraine would maintain its cease-fire for as long as Russia kept the peace – possibly opening the door for a longer cease-fire in the war that has raged between the countries since 2022.
“We will act reciprocally starting from that moment,” Zelensky said on social media.
“It is time for Russian leaders to take real steps to end their war, especially since Russia’s Defense Ministry believes it cannot hold a parade in Moscow without Ukraine’s goodwill.”
The cease-fire announcements come as Ukrainian strikes have reached all the way to Moscow, prompting Russia to scale back its annual parade celebrating the end of World War II.
That celebration is held each year in Red Square, and typically features a display of Russian troops, tanks and rockets parading through the city.
Ukraine’s strikes have prompted the parade to be scaled back, however, which could be behind Putin’s desire for a cease-fire.
It also comes just days after President Trump told reporters a cease-fire in the conflict would be happening “relatively quickly,” though it remains unclear if he was referring to the current situation.
But the war has otherwise shown few signs of subsiding.
Russia launched one of its largest attacks of the war so far at the end of April, with hundreds of drones raining down on Dnipro and leaving at least eight civilians dead and 60 wounded.
Ukraine has also been undeterred, with its own strikes wreaking havoc on Russian infrastructure with attacks penetrating deep into the country.
