Russia declares ceasefire; Ukraine sets rival dates

Russia announced a two-day unilateral ceasefire with Ukraine for May 8-9, timed to coincide with Victory Day commemorations marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the ceasefire following discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump during a late April telephone call, according to both governments. The Russian defense ministry warned it would launch a "massive missile strike" on central Kyiv if Ukraine attempted to disrupt the celebrations, and warned civilians and foreign diplomats to leave the city. Ukraine responded by declaring its own truce, but for May 5-6 rather than matching Russia's dates. President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was "not serious" to expect Ukraine to observe a ceasefire during a Russian military holiday, and noted that Kyiv had received no official appeal regarding the proposed ceasefire. "We believe that human life is far more valuable than any anniversary celebration," Zelensky said in a statement. Russian strikes killed at least nine people across Ukraine on Monday, including seven civilians in the town of Merefa near Kharkiv and two others in the Zaporizhzhia region, while Ukrainian drones struck a residential building in Moscow and killed a civilian in the border region of Belgorod. The ceasefire announcements come amid a lull in U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to end the war, as Washington shifts focus to conflicts in the Middle East. Russia marks Victory Day on May 9, one day after the United States and Western allies commemorate the defeat of Nazi Germany due to the time zone difference. Last year, Putin declared a similar ceasefire for Victory Day. Data from the Institute for the Study of War shows Russia lost more territory than it gained in Ukraine during April for the first time since a Ukrainian counteroffensive in summer 2023, though Moscow still occupies approximately 19 percent of Ukrainian territory.