MAY 5, 2026
Russia announces Victory Day ceasefire while strikes kill at least five in Ukraine days before the truce
Russia's Defense Ministry declared a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine for Friday and Saturday, May 9–10, to mark the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded by saying Ukraine would observe a ceasefire beginning at midnight Wednesday and would respond in kind to Russia's actions from that moment. The announcements follow a pattern of short, holiday-timed ceasefires that previous rounds, including one around Orthodox Easter, did not translate into lasting results.
Russian drone and missile strikes targeted Ukraine's power grid overnight Monday into Tuesday, killing at least five people and wounding 39 others, Ukrainian authorities said, less than a day before Kyiv announced it would begin observing a ceasefire. The attack came three days before Moscow's own promised pause in hostilities. Russian forces fired 11 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 164 strike drones; Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 149 drones and one missile, the Ukrainian Air Force said.
Zelenskyy said in a post on X that the timing of the strikes demonstrated what he called Russia's "utter cynicism," given that Moscow had already announced the upcoming ceasefire. He described the attack on a natural gas facility in Poltava as "especially vile" because Russia launched a second missile at the same target while emergency rescuers were working at the scene, according to AP. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said Russia's ceasefire proposals "remain only statements."
Russia's Defense Ministry said that if Ukraine attempts to disrupt Saturday's Victory Day celebrations, it would carry out a "massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv" and warned civilians and foreign diplomatic personnel to leave the city. Zelenskyy replied that Kyiv had not received any official ceasefire request but said it was "realistic to ensure" that a truce takes effect by midnight Wednesday. He urged Russia to "take real steps to end their war."