In a move that underscores the fractured nature of the conflict, Russia has declared a unilateral ceasefire with Ukraine for 8-9 May, coinciding with Moscow's annual Victory Day commemorations. The Russian defence ministry, in a post on the state-backed messaging app MAX, stated that the ceasefire was ordered by President Vladimir Putin and expressed hope that Ukraine would follow suit. However, the ministry also threatened a "massive missile strike" on the centre of Kyiv if the Ukrainian side violated the truce, warning civilians and foreign diplomatic personnel to leave the city promptly.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded on Monday night by announcing a separate ceasefire, set to begin at midnight on 5-6 May, earlier than the Russian proposal. He noted that Russia had not officially communicated its plan to Kyiv. "We are announcing a ceasefire regime starting at 00:00 on the night of May 5–6. In the time left until that moment, it is realistic to ensure that silence takes effect," Zelenskyy wrote on X. He added that Russia's defence ministry had already admitted it could not hold its parade in Moscow without Ukraine's goodwill, referencing the cancellation of military hardware displays due to fears of Ukrainian drone attacks.
Continued Strikes Undermine Ceasefire Hopes
Despite the ceasefire announcements, deadly attacks continued on Monday. A Russian ballistic missile strike on the town of Merefa, near Kharkiv, killed seven civilians and wounded dozens, according to regional authorities. Governor Oleg Synegubov reported that the victims included five men and two women, with a two-year-old boy among the wounded. The strike targeted civilian infrastructure far from the front line, he said. Separately, a Russian attack on the village of Vilnyansk in the Zaporizhzhia region killed a married couple, aged 51 and 62, and wounded their son and three others, Governor Ivan Fedorov confirmed.
On the Russian side, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov of the Belgorod region reported that a Ukrainian drone killed one civilian and wounded seven others, including a 10-year-old boy. The reciprocal violence highlights the fragility of any ceasefire agreement, especially as US-led peace talks have been sidelined by the ongoing conflict in Iran.
The competing truce proposals come amid a broader pattern of escalation. A recent Ukrainian drone strike on a Moscow high-rise days before the parade underscored the reach of Kyiv's capabilities. Meanwhile, Russian strikes across Ukraine have continued to claim lives, with Kyiv also targeting Black Sea oil tankers in retaliation.
The diplomatic landscape remains complex. While Zelenskyy has sought to engage European partners, including a recent meeting in Yerevan that signaled a break from Moscow, Russia's unilateral ceasefire appears designed to project strength domestically. The absence of military hardware at this year's Victory Day parade—a first since the Soviet era—reflects the Kremlin's acknowledgment of Ukraine's long-range drone threat.
As the competing ceasefires take effect, the coming days will test whether either side can maintain restraint. For now, the civilian populations on both sides of the border remain caught in the crossfire, with little respite in sight.
