Putin declares two-day Ukraine truce to mark WWII date
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a two-day ceasefire in the conflict with Ukraine on May 8-9 to mark the anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
The ministry added that it is confident that the Ukrainian side will also follow suit, and that Russia will launch a massive retaliatory missile attack on the center of Kiev if Ukraine tries to prevent Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.
The statement said, “Despite the means at our disposal, Russia had previously refrained from such actions on humanitarian grounds” and stated that it was ready to take action if the ceasefire was not observed.
“We warn the civilian population of Kiev and the staff of foreign diplomatic missions that they must leave the city in time,” the statement said.
Earlier on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy rejected the idea of a one-day ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war as “not serious” and added that his government had not yet received an official offer.
The Kremlin had previously announced that a possible ceasefire discussed by the Russian and US presidents would include May 9, which is celebrated with a military parade.
