Russia Ukraine ceasefire: Ukraine and Russia announce ceasefire separately ahead of Victory Day in Moscow –

Ukraine and Russia announced a separate ceasefire schedule ahead of Moscow’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9, with Kiev announcing it would cease hostilities before a truce period set by the Kremlin.Ukraine will begin a ceasefire from midnight on May 5-6, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, noting that Moscow has not made any formal request on how the cessation of hostilities is expected to work.“Until today, there has been no official appeal to Ukraine on the method of cessation of hostilities being announced on Russian social media,” Zelensky said.While announcing Kiev’s position, he added: “In this regard, we announce a ceasefire regime starting at 00:00 (2100 GMT) on the night of May 5-6.

In the time remaining until that moment, it is realistic to ensure that the silence is in effect.Ukraine said it would go ahead with the truce from that point, with Zelensky emphasizing humanitarian priorities at the expense of symbolic war commemorations.“We believe that human life is much more important than any anniversary celebration,” he said.The Ukrainian president also criticized Russia’s focus on securing a Victory Day parade, saying: “It is time for Russian leaders to take real steps to end their war, especially since the Russian Defense Ministry believes it cannot hold a parade in Moscow without Ukraine’s good will.”

Meanwhile, Russia said its ceasefire would run from May 8 to 9, following an order issued by President Vladimir Putin to coincide with the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II, which in Russia is referred to as the Great Patriotic War.Moscow said in its statement: “A ceasefire will be declared on May 8 and 9, 2026 in honor of celebrating the victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War.”“We expect the Ukrainian side to follow this example,” she added.The Russian Defense Ministry also issued a warning about any disruption to the commemoration, saying: “If the Kiev regime attempts to implement its criminal plans aimed at disrupting the celebration of the 81st anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will launch a large-scale retaliatory missile strike on central Kiev.”Victory Day, celebrated annually on May 9, commemorates the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazi Germany and honors the millions killed during World War II.