Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered a two-day truce in the conflict with Ukraine on May 8 and 9 to mark the anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded with his own proposal to end the fighting, starting earlier, on the night of May 5-6, Reuters reports.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Monday that Moscow expects Ukraine to respect the May 8-9 ceasefire and that Russian forces will take all necessary measures to ensure the safe conduct of festivities marking the defeat of Nazi Germany.
Moscow warned, however, that any attempt by Ukraine to disrupt the festivities would result in retaliation.
“If the Kiev regime tries to implement its criminal plans to disrupt the celebration of the 81st anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Russian armed forces will launch a massive retaliatory missile attack on the center of Kiev,” the Russian ministry threatened in a statement.
It claims that Russia could have launched such an attack before, but “previously refrained from such actions for humanitarian reasons”.
“We warn the civilian population of Kyiv and the personnel of foreign diplomatic missions about the need to leave the city in a timely manner,” the statement added.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, posting a message on Telegram after attending the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Armenia, reacted by announcing that Ukraine would respect its own ceasefire starting at midnight on Tuesday, May 5.
He notes that Russia has not responded to Kiev's repeated calls for a lasting ceasefire, adding that Ukraine is taking this step because “human life is incomparably more valuable than 'celebrating' any anniversary.”
“In this sense, we announce a cease-fire regime starting at 00:00, on the night of May 5 to 6,” the Ukrainian head of state also wrote.
Zelensky did not specify a time frame for this ceasefire, but said that Ukraine would “act symmetrically from that moment on”.
Russia celebrates victory in World War II on May 9, the day the Soviet Union signed Germany's surrender in 1945. Traditionally, a large military parade is held in Moscow, but authorities have announced that this year's festivities will not include military equipment, due to the threat of an increase in Ukrainian “terrorist” activities.
