Russia sets May 8–9 ceasefire marking Victory Day anniversary
Shafaq News- Moscow
Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on Monday a temporary ceasefire on May 8–9, marking the Victory Day (a national holiday honoring the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany), warning of a “massive missile strike” if Ukraine attempts attacks during that period.
In a statement, the ministry said the ceasefire was ordered by President Vladimir Putin. It warned that any attempt by Kyiv to disrupt the celebrations would trigger a large-scale retaliatory strike on the Ukrainian capital, noting that Russia had previously refrained from such actions for humanitarian reasons, and urged civilians in Kyiv and staff at foreign diplomatic missions to leave the city in a timely manner.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine had not received any official request from Russia regarding the ceasefire and announced that Kyiv would implement a ceasefire starting at midnight on May 5–6.
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. We believe that human life is far more valuable than any anniversary “celebration”. In this regard, we are announcing a…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 4, 2026
Russia’s RIA Novosti, citing data from the Defense Ministry, reported that 10 new Ukrainian settlements came under Russian control over the past week in Sumy , Donetsk, and Kharkiv provinces.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry stated that it has expanded its long-range strike operations, targeting locations from Crimea to regions deep inside Russia, including Perm, Ufa, Orsk, and Chelyabinsk.
Ukraine’s deep strike campaign keeps expanding.From temporarily occupied Crimea to the Urals — Perm, Ufa, Orsk, Chelyabinsk — no longer a “deep rear.”Russia’s military-economic infrastructure is now within reach.https://t.co/5AP5VeL1mg
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) May 4, 2026
