Russia Warns Foreign Diplomats In Kyiv Of Retaliatory Strike If Ukraine Disrupts May 9 Commemorations

Russia warned foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations in Kyiv that it would launch a “retaliatory strike” on the Ukrainian capital, “including against decision-making centres,” if Ukraine disrupted World War II commemorations in Moscow this Saturday.

“Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has warned diplomatic missions to promptly evacuate their staff from the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, in case Moscow launches a mass strike on the city in response to potential Ukrainian attempts to disrupt Russia’s May 9 Victory Day commemorations”

Al Jazeera

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova urged diplomats to ensure the “timely evacuation” of personnel and citizens from Kyiv, citing “the inevitability of a retaliatory strike on Kyiv by Russia’s Armed Forces.”

Al Jazeera

The warning came as Russia declared a unilateral ceasefire over May 8 and 9, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a ceasefire beginning Wednesday at midnight.

Zelensky later wrote on Telegram that “Russia has not stopped any of its military activity.

Unfortunately, it has not ceased.

Ukraine will respond in a reciprocal manner,” tying the response to continued attacks across seven regions.

The competing ceasefire timelines sharpened the dispute over May 9, with Russia’s Victory Day threat framed as a response to potential Ukrainian disruption of the Moscow parade through Red Square.

Zelensky dismissed Russia’s May 8-9 ceasefire proposal as “not serious,” and said the Kremlin feared Ukrainian drones would “buzz over Red Square,” according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Blick

Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also said Zelensky made “aggressive and threatening statements” about disrupting the commemorations at a meeting of the European Political Community in Armenia on Monday, and she added, “None of them reprimanded the ringleader of the Kyiv regime.”

In parallel, Ukraine reported that Russian attacks continued during the period when Ukraine’s unilateral ceasefire was due to be in force, with at least four people dying in Russian attacks including two at a kindergarten in the northern Sumy region.

As the May 9 commemorations approached, Russia also warned that any disruption would trigger a “massive missile strike” on Kyiv, according to CGTN’s account of the Foreign Ministry note.

“A Victory Day poster stands near Red Square ahead of celebrations marking the 81st anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, in Moscow on Wednesday, May 6, 2026”

CGTN

Zelensky said Ukraine would “respond in kind” to Russia’s violations and decide its next steps accordingly, while Russia’s warning urged diplomats to evacuate ahead of the strike risk.

The same period included reported strikes across regions, with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty saying Russia launched “more than 110 drones and cruise and ballistic missiles” across Ukraine overnight.

The stakes were also tied to the broader ceasefire contest, with the Kremlin calling for Ukraine to halt attacks for May 9 while Ukraine accused Russia of rejecting peace and its “fake calls for a cease-fire on May 9” in a post on X by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha.