Russia announced a unilateral ceasefire from May 8–9 to coincide with its annual Victory Day parade marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, warning it would launch a "massive missile strike" on central Kyiv if Ukraine attempted to disrupt the commemorations. Ukraine declined to observe Moscow's truce, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying it was not serious to expect Kyiv to hold fire during a Russian military holiday, and instead declared its own separate ceasefire for May 5–6. The duelling announcements underline the deep mistrust between the two sides, coming as deadly strikes continued — Russian attacks killed at least nine civilians across Ukraine on Monday, while a Ukrainian drone struck a residential high-rise in an upscale Moscow neighbourhood.
Mosaic News
Ukraine and Russia declare rival ceasefires ahead of Victory Day[Updated]
Russia has shut down airports and temporarily suspended mobile internet access across parts of the country ahead of the May 9 celebrations, with the Kremlin citing the need to guard against Ukrainian "terrorism." Fewer foreign and Russian dignitaries than usual are expected to attend the scaled-back parade. A Russian MP, Yevgeny Popov, defended the absence of tanks and ballistic missiles from Red Square by saying the equipment was needed on the battlefield, telling the BBC: "Our tanks are busy right now. They are fighting. We need them more on the battlefield than on Red Square."
Russian strikes on Tuesday killed more than 20 people across Ukraine, with 12 dead in Zaporizhzhia, five in Kramatorsk and four in Dnipro, as Zelenskyy condemned what he called a "cynical terrorist strike." Ukraine's ceasefire took effect at midnight on May 6, but Russian forces struck an industrial infrastructure facility in Zaporizhzhia within hours of the truce beginning, though no casualties were reported from that attack. Ukraine struck back at one of Russia's largest oil refineries in Kirishi and a defence complex in Cheboksary, with no reported fatalities. The Kremlin announced it would stage a scaled-back Victory Day parade on May 9, with no military hardware on display amid fears equipment could be targeted.