A unilateral three-day ceasefire declared by Russian President, Vladimir Putin, took effect last Wednesday, coinciding with preparations for Russia’s annual Victory Day commemorations marking the end of World War II.
According to Russian state news agency Tass, the temporary halt in hostilities began at midnight local time on May 8 (5 p.m. ET, Wednesday).
However, within hours, Ukraine’s air force claimed that Russia had carried out guided bomb strikes over Sumy in northern Ukraine.
Reuters reported the allegation, noting it was unable to independently verify the claims.
Putin’s decision to pause “all military actions” from midnight on May 8 through to midnight on May 11 was attributed to “humanitarian considerations,” as stated in a Kremlin release issued last month.
Ukraine swiftly rejected the proposed truce upon its announcement. President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the move as a “theatrical performance” and reaffirmed his backing for an earlier U.S.-led initiative advocating a 30-day ceasefire, which Moscow refused.
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The short truce was scheduled to align with Russia’s May 9 Victory Day events, including the traditional military parade in Moscow.
The annual display is expected to draw attendance from leaders of several allied nations, such as China’s Xi Jinping.
As in previous years, the Russian government is likely to use the occasion to push propaganda narratives, inaccurately portraying its ongoing invasion of Ukraine as a battle against a “Nazi” regime in Kyiv.
Meanwhile, in the days leading up to the celebration, Ukrainian drones struck Moscow for the second night in a row, prompting Russian authorities to suspend flights at 13 airports, four in Moscow and nine across other regions.
On Wednesday, more drones were reported in the skies, with Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin confirming that one en route to the capital had been shot down during the afternoon.
The temporary closures of airspace come at an awkward time for Moscow, as foreign dignitaries travel to attend Friday’s parade.
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov listed Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Vietnam’s President To Lam, and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko among the 29 international guests expected.
Ukraine has continued to distance itself from responsibility for incidents on Russian territory.
“We cannot be responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,” officials in Kyiv have said, citing the realities of wartime conditions.
President Zelensky also made it clear that Ukraine would not take part in “playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere to allow for Putin’s exit from isolation on May 9.”
This marks the second brief ceasefire announcement from Putin in less than a month. During Orthodox Easter, the Russian president similarly ordered a 30-hour pause in military action.
Though Ukraine accused Moscow of violating that truce, it acknowledged that fighting had eased in some front-line areas during the window.
