Russia’s unilateral ceasefire in the war against Ukraine took effect at midnight on May 8. The Russian Defense Ministry had announced the halt in fighting would last until May 10.
Under the ceasefire, the ministry said, Russian forces would pause combat operations along the front line and halt strikes on targets deep inside Ukraine.
Moscow called on Kyiv to observe the ceasefire. Ukraine did not respond to this appeal.
The Russian Defense Ministry warned that any ceasefire violation at the front — or any Ukrainian strike on Russian territory — would draw an “appropriate response.” If Ukraine attempted to disrupt the May 9 celebrations in Moscow, Russian troops would, the ministry said, “launch a massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv.”
Russia and Ukraine both announced on May 4 that they intended to temporarily halt fighting, but neither side coordinated with the other. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it would declare a ceasefire for two days, May 8 and 9. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in response that Ukraine was declaring a truce earlier, starting at midnight on May 6.
The fighting did not stop. Ukraine accused Russia of violating the truce, even though Moscow had made no promise to observe it — just as Kyiv had made no promise to observe Russia’s ceasefire.
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