Putin orders Victory Day ceasefire in Ukraine

Shafaq News/ On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a ceasefire and the suspension of all military operations with Ukraine during the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory Day on May 9, citing humanitarian reasons.

In a statement, the Kremlin revealed that the truce will take effect from midnight on May 7 to 8 and last until midnight on May 10 to 11. It urged Ukraine to take a similar step, warning that Russian forces would respond appropriately and decisively to any violations by Ukrainian forces.

Moscow also reiterated its call for peace talks with Ukraine without preconditions, expressing readiness to address the root causes of the conflict through dialogue and to work constructively with international partners toward a comprehensive and sustainable settlement.

In a separate statement, Putin acknowledged for the first time that North Korean soldiers participated alongside Russian forces in fighting Ukrainian troops in Russia’s Kursk region. He stated that North Korean forces had acted “out of a sense of solidarity, justice and genuine comradeship,” praising their heroism, training, and dedication in defending Russian territory.

Western intelligence estimates previously assessed that around 12,000 North Korean troops were deployed to Russia, with an additional 3,000 sent in March, alongside artillery systems and short-range ballistic missiles, CNN reported.

Last week, Kremlin Foreign Policy Adviser Yuri Ushakov described the meeting between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin on restarting direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine as “constructive and very useful.”