Russia’s Defense Ministry announced a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine for Friday and Saturday to mark the 81st anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, while warning it would retaliate if Kyiv tried to disrupt Victory Day events.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine would observe a truce beginning at 12 a.m. Wednesday and would mirror Russia’s actions from that time; he did not name an end date.
The statements on Monday come as Russia prepares a scaled-back Victory Day military parade on Moscow’s Red Square, citing concerns about possible Ukrainian attacks. Ukraine has carried out drone strikes deep inside Russia in response to the more-than-four-year invasion.
The announcements follow a familiar pattern of ceasefire offers — including around Orthodox Easter — that had little tangible effect.
Russia’s Defense Ministry warned that if Ukraine attempts to disrupt Saturday’s celebrations, Moscow would launch a “massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv,” and urged civilians and foreign diplomatic staff to leave the city promptly.
Zelenskyy said Kyiv had not received any official truce request but that it was “realistic to ensure” a ceasefire takes effect before midnight on Wednesday. He urged the Kremlin to take real steps to end the war, noting that Russia seems unable to hold a parade in Moscow without Ukraine’s “goodwill.”
For years, the Kremlin has used the pomp of Victory Day to showcase military strength and national pride. This year, the Moscow parade will proceed without tanks, missiles and other heavy equipment for the first time in nearly two decades. Some regional parades have also been reduced or canceled for security reasons.
Speaking at a summit with European leaders in Armenia, Zelenskyy said Russian authorities “fear drones may buzz over Red Square” on May 9, arguing the concern shows weakness and underlining his call to maintain pressure on Russia through sanctions.
World War II remains a rare point of national consensus in Russia. The Soviet Union suffered about 27 million deaths in what it calls the Great Patriotic War of 1941–45, a sacrifice that deeply shaped Russian collective memory.
President Vladimir Putin, who has led Russia for over 25 years, has made Victory Day a central element of his rule and has invoked it to justify the war in Ukraine. Last year’s 80th-anniversary parade drew more global leaders to Moscow than in a decade, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico; Fico is expected to attend this year’s event as well.
Putin previously declared a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire beginning May 7, 2025, and authorities cut cellphone internet in Moscow for several days to deter Ukrainian drone attacks. Last week, Putin raised the idea of a Victory Day ceasefire during a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Russian media reported Monday that cellphone operators have begun notifying customers about possible mobile internet restrictions in Moscow and St. Petersburg in the coming days.
