A proposed holiday ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv for May 8-9 has escalated into a diplomatic standoff, with both sides trading accusations. While the Russian Defense Ministry prepared a humanitarian pause timed to Victory Day, Ukrainian leadership claimed it received no official proposals and announced its own "silence regime" starting earlier.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on his Telegram channel that no official requests had been received from Moscow. Consequently, Kyiv unilaterally declared a "silence regime" from midnight on May 6, emphasizing it would act only "mirror-like." Zelensky explained the decision by prioritizing the preservation of human lives over celebrating any anniversaries.

Russian political leadership criticized the move, viewing it as an attempt to hijack the information agenda and gain a military respite. LDPR leader Leonid Slutsky called Kyiv's initiative a "tactical ploy," suggesting Zelensky's haste might stem from the ceasefire issue having been initially discussed between Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump without Ukrainian participation.

Amid persistent mistrust, the Russian Defense Ministry warned that any humanitarian pauses must not be used to prepare new strikes. The ministry highlighted risks of forceful actions during the holidays and stated readiness to launch massive retaliatory strikes on government targets in Kyiv if agreements were violated. Due to possible escalation, the Russian side called on residents of the capital and foreign diplomatic mission staff to leave the city.

Earlier, President Zelensky hinted at the possibility of Ukrainian drones appearing over Moscow during the May 9 celebrations. This statement came amid an unprecedented change in the format of Russia's parade and heightened security measures in Moscow.

Source: podrobno.uz