Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the introduction of a so-called “ceasefire regime” in the war with the Russian Federation starting at 00:00 on May 6. The head of state made this statement in an evening address on May 4, emphasizing that Ukraine will act reciprocally from the specified time.
This is reported by Finway
“In the time remaining until this moment, it is realistic to ensure the onset of silence. We will act reciprocally, starting from the indicated moment. It is time for the Russian leaders to take real steps to end their war, especially if the Russian Ministry of Defense believes it cannot hold a parade in Moscow without Ukraine’s goodwill.”
At the same time, Zelensky emphasized that no official communications regarding the modality of cessation of hostilities had been received from Russia to Ukraine, despite statements in Russian social media.
Russia’s reaction and threats ahead of the parade
On the same day, the Russian military announced its intention to unilaterally introduce a ceasefire on May 8 and 9, stating that it “expects similar actions from Ukraine.” However, no official agreements regarding a ceasefire had been received by Kyiv. The Russian Ministry of Defense also issued threats to carry out a massive missile strike on Kyiv in case of attempts to disrupt the celebration of the 81st anniversary of Victory in World War II.
The Russian authorities announced their intention to declare a ceasefire on Victory Day regardless of Ukraine’s actions. Zelensky emphasized that he supports the idea of a ceasefire but does not agree to short-term pauses that are only used for holding a parade in Moscow.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that this year’s parade in Moscow will take place in a reduced format and without the involvement of military equipment.
Drone attacks and restrictions in Moscow
On the night of May 4, there were reports of a drone attack in Moscow. One of the drones breached all rings of air defense and hit a high-rise building on Mosfilmovskaya Street, located six kilometers from the Kremlin. Ukrainian officials have not yet confirmed this attack. A day prior, on May 3, drones attacked several regions of Russia, including Moscow and Leningrad regions.
In Moscow, in connection with preparations for the parade, residents were warned about possible restrictions on mobile communication in the coming days.
Meanwhile, due to the escalation of the situation in the Middle East, trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia, which took place in January-February, have been postponed indefinitely. At the same time, the President of Ukraine previously stated that these negotiations had not reached a dead end.
According to analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), as of the end of March 2026, significant successes for Russia on the front do not seem inevitable. Experts believe that the Chief of the General Staff of Russia, Valery Gerasimov, is likely trying to conceal the lack of progress in the spring-summer offensive of 2026.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated that Russia continues to suffer significant losses but does not abandon plans for further offensive actions.