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Russia and Ukraine each announced short ceasefires on different dates Monday, with Kyiv setting May 5–6 and Moscow May 8–9, after deadly strikes across both countries left dozens of civilians dead or injured.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the order came from President Vladimir Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations marking the Soviet Union’s World War II victory.
Any violation of the truce could trigger a "massive missile strike" on Kyiv, the ministry said, urging civilians and foreign diplomats to leave the city and warning of possible retaliation if Ukraine attempted to disrupt the commemorations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the proposal "not serious," arguing that a pause tied to a military parade ignores ongoing attacks on civilians. Short pauses in fighting, he said, appear "cynical" as daily casualties continue, with no guarantee Russia would halt attacks beyond symbolic dates.
In a post on X, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine had received no official request from Russia outlining how a ceasefire would be implemented.
"We believe that human life is far more valuable than any anniversary ‘celebration’," Zelenskyy wrote, adding that the ceasefire would begin on Tuesday. He added that Ukraine would act "reciprocally" if silence takes hold and called on Russian leaders to take concrete steps to end the war.
Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko put the toll from Monday’s strikes at at least 14 dead and around 60 injured nationwide, with more than 70 attacks recorded across seven regions. He added that energy infrastructure was also targeted, describing the strikes as deliberate.
Ukraine’s state energy company said five facilities were hit within 24 hours in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions, forcing temporary shutdowns and complicating preparations for winter.
Across the border, Russian authorities said a Ukrainian drone killed one civilian in the Belgorod region. Another drone struck a high-rise residential building in Moscow overnight, according to the city’s mayor.
Although the front lines remain near a stalemate, Russia is currently estimated to hold just over 19% of Ukraine, most of it seized during the early phase of the 2022 invasion.
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