Vladimir Putin Declares Unilateral Ceasefire for May 8-9, Ukraine Sets May 5-6

Russia announced a unilateral ceasefire for May 8 and 9, 2026 in connection with Victory Day, and the decision was attributed to President Vladimir Putin by the Russian Ministry of Defence.

“Russia and Ukraine have declared competing unilateral ceasefires in their four-year war”

Al Jazeera

The Russian defence ministry said, “In conformità con la decisione del Comandante supremo delle Forze Armate della Federazione Russa, è stato dichiarato un cessate il fuoco per i giorni 8 e 9 maggio 2026, in occasione della celebrazione della vittoria del popolo sovietico nella Grande Guerra Patriottica,” and added, “Ci auguriamo che la parte ucraina segua questo esempio.”

Al Jazeera

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed a separate ceasefire beginning at “00:00 della notte tra il 5 e il 6 maggio” and said, “A oggi non c’è stata alcuna richiesta ufficiale rivolta all’Ucraina riguardo alla modalità di cessazione delle ostilità.”

Al Jazeera described the same standoff as “Russia and Ukraine declare competing unilateral ceasefires,” with Russia’s ceasefire “between May 8-9” and Kyiv calling its own ceasefire for “May 5-6.”

In the same Al Jazeera account, the Russian Ministry of Defence said, “In accordance with a decision of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces, Vladimir Putin, a ceasefire has been declared from May 8–9, 2026,” and Ukraine’s Zelenskyy replied that he had received “no official notice from Russia.”

AP similarly reported that Russia declared a truce for Friday and Saturday to mark the 81st anniversary, while Kyiv said it would cease fire “two days earlier.”

Across the reporting, the ceasefire dates were presented as competing, with Russia’s tied to May 8-9 and Ukraine’s tied to May 5-6, and both sides framed their own timing as reciprocal or precautionary.

Alongside the ceasefire announcements, Russia warned that it would retaliate if Ukraine tried to disrupt Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.

Today reported that if “il regime di Kiev tenterà di attuare i suoi piani criminali per interrompere le celebrazioni dell'81esimo anniversario della vittoria nella grande guerra patriottica,” Russia would respond with “un massiccio attacco missilistico di rappresaglia sul centro di Kiev.”

Anadolu Ajansı

The same warning appeared in Al Jazeera’s account of the Russian defence ministry’s message: “If the Kyiv regime attempts to implement its criminal plans to disrupt the celebration of the 81st anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Russian Armed Forces will launch a retaliatory, massive missile strike on the centre of Kyiv.”

Russia also urged civilians and foreign diplomatic staff to leave Kyiv promptly, with the Russian defence ministry saying, “We warn the civilian population of Kyiv and employees of foreign diplomatic missions of the need to leave the city promptly.”

AP echoed the threat, writing that Russia “threatened a ‘massive missile strike’ on Kyiv if Ukraine violated it,” and that the warning was directed at civilians and foreign diplomatic missions.

The Times likewise described the conditional threat, stating that Zelensky’s ceasefire followed Russia’s warning it would launch a “massive” missile strike on Kyiv if it attacked the Victory Day parade in Moscow.

Taken together, the ceasefire was presented not as a mutual pause without conditions, but as a window paired with explicit warnings of retaliation and evacuation guidance.

Zelensky rejected Russia’s ceasefire framing and argued that it was dishonest, while also insisting Ukraine had not received an official request from Russia about the ceasefire modality.

“Russia declares a truce in Ukraine to mark Victory Day”

AP News

Today quoted Zelensky speaking to journalists in Erevan, saying, “questa è la guerra della Russia contro l'Ucraina. Un cessate il fuoco di un giorno, e prima di esso uccidere la nostra gente, è, per usare un eufemismo, disonesto.”

In the same report, Zelensky said, “Oggi Merefa, ieri Dnipro: morti, feriti, adulti, bambini. Dopo tutto questo, dire: fermiamoci per un giorno per fare una parata non è serio,” and he added that Moscow had not yet informed Ukraine officially about the ceasefire arrangements.

Tgcom24 and Open both carried Zelensky’s X-language message that “A oggi non c’è stata alcuna richiesta ufficiale rivolta all’Ucraina riguardo alla modalità di cessazione delle ostilità,” and that “Riteniamo che la vita umana sia un valore incomparabilmente più grande della 'celebrazione' di qualsiasi anniversario.”

Open also included Zelensky’s argument that “Nel tempo rimanente fino a quel momento, è realistico garantire che una tregua entri in vigore. Agiremo in modo reciproco a partire da quel momento.”

Al Jazeera similarly reported Zelensky’s social media position that “As of today, there has been no official appeal to Ukraine regarding the modality of a cessation of hostilities that is being claimed on Russian social media,” and it quoted his call that “It is time for Russian leaders to take real steps to end their war.”

Across the different outlets, Zelensky’s rebuttal combined a claim of missing official notice with a moral argument about human life and a political argument about Russia’s motives for a Victory Day pause.

Multiple reports linked the Victory Day ceasefire and the reduced parade posture to concerns about Ukrainian drone attacks over Moscow.

Il Manifesto said that for the parade on May 9 “quest’anno non ci saranno mezzi corazzati, sistemi missilistici e neanche cadetti e allievi delle scuole militari russe,” citing an official explanation of “la situazione operativa in corso” and risks tied to “le attività terroristiche dell’Ucraina.”

blue News

It then attributed the Kremlin’s motive to avoiding a public embarrassment, stating that “il Cremlino ha paura di fare una figuraccia in mondovisione,” and it described Zelensky’s claim that Kyiv had struck “obiettivi distanti più di 1500 chilometri dalla base di lancio.”

AP and The Times both described the parade as “pared down due to what officials say are concerns over possible Ukrainian attacks,” with AP noting it would take place without “tanks, missiles and other military equipment for the first time in nearly two decades.”

The Times added that Zelensky said Russia feared drones could “buzz over” Red Square during the parade, and it framed that as “This is telling, it shows they are not strong.”

In the same Times report, a Ukrainian drone struck a residential building in Moscow less than five miles from Red Square, and it quoted a fragment inscription in Ukrainian on a drone piece: “Don’t touch! Moving part.”

Across these accounts, the ceasefire window and the parade changes were repeatedly tied to drone risk and to the Kremlin’s security calculations for Red Square.

The ceasefire proposal was also tied to diplomacy involving the United States, with multiple outlets describing a phone call between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.

“Russia declares a cease-fire on May 8-9 for the commemorations of the victory in World War II, and threatens to launch a "massive missile strike" on Kyiv if Ukraine violates it”

Boursorama

Il Fatto Quotidiano said the conversation lasted “un’ora e mezza” and described it as “franca e professionale,” quoting Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov: “Donald Trump ha elogiato la tregua pasquale recentemente dichiarata dalla Russia.”

Boursorama

It added that Ushakov said Putin informed Trump of his availability to declare a ceasefire during Victory Day celebrations, stating, “Vladimir Putin ha informato la sua controparte americana della sua disponibilità a dichiarare una tregua anche per le celebrazioni del Giorno della Vittoria,” and that “Trump ha sostenuto attivamente questa iniziativa.”

Il Manifesto similarly described a phone call of “un’ora e mezza” and said the conversation was “amichevole, franca e concreta,” adding that Trump confirmed the initiative with journalists in the Oval Office.

Al Jazeera reported that Putin first suggested a short-term truce “last week, during a phone call with Donald Trump,” and it said Ukraine would seek details from Washington while reiterating support for a lasting ceasefire backed by security guarantees.

The stakes were framed in terms of whether the ceasefire would hold and whether the Victory Day parade would proceed with reduced military display, with AP noting that the truce announcements came as Russia prepared its “most important secular holiday.”

Across the sources, the ceasefire was presented as a diplomatic test linked to US-Russia engagement, with explicit threats of retaliation and with the Victory Day parade’s reduced format serving as a visible indicator of the security stakes.