politics
May 8, 2026
Victory Day ceasefire has begun
Any Ukrainian attempts to violate the two-day truce will be met with an “adequate response,” the Russian military warns
TL;DR
- Russia declared a two-day ceasefire from May 8-9 for Victory Day celebrations.
- The Russian Defense Ministry warned of a large-scale retaliatory strike on central Kyiv if Ukraine attempts to disrupt the celebrations or violate the truce.
- Russian forces will cease all front-line operations and long-range strikes into Ukrainian territory during the ceasefire period.
- Ukraine's President Zelensky initially called the ceasefire "unfair" and questioned its official proposal to Kyiv.
- Despite the announcement, Ukraine has complained about continuing attacks and accused Russia of not seriously considering a ceasefire.
- The Russian ministry urged foreign diplomats and civilians to evacuate Kyiv ahead of a potential attack.