Russia and Ukraine declare separate ceasefires ahead of WWII anniversary

Source: CBS News/AFP

May 4, 2026 / 4:00 PM EDT


Russia on Monday declared a unilateral ceasefire with Ukraine between May 8-9, when Moscow marks its annual World War II Victory Day commemorations, and threatened a "massive missile strike" on Kyiv if Ukraine violated it.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced his own ceasefire, saying in a statement posted on X that he has not received an official appeal from Russia about its truce.

"We believe that human life is far more valuable than any anniversary "celebration". In this regard, we are announcing a ceasefire regime starting at 00:00 on the night of May 5-6," Zelenskyy said. "In the time left until that moment, it is realistic to ensure that silence takes effect. We will act reciprocally starting from that moment."

Russian President Vladimir Putin first proposed the short-term truce last week, during a phone call with President Trump.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-ukraine-ceasefire-wwii-anniversary/