Russia Orders Three Day Ceasefire with Ukraine for WWII Anniversary Amid Ongoing Conflict

A three-day truce between Russia and Ukraine has officially begun, coincide with Moscow’s World War II Victory Day commemorations. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the ceasefire, which started at midnight Thursday and will last until the end of Saturday. However, Ukraine has not agreed to the truce and has instead called for a 30-day ceasefire, dismissing Putin’s move as mere theatrics.

According to Russia’s state RIA news agency, “The ceasefire … on the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory has begun.” Despite this announcement, a few hours before the truce was set to take effect, Moscow and Kyiv engaged in a series of aerial attacks, resulting in airport closures in Russia and at least two fatalities in Ukraine. The Kremlin has vowed that Russian forces will honor the ceasefire, but will respond swiftly if Ukraine launches any attacks.

Putin announced the truce last month as a “humanitarian” gesture, amid pressure from the United States to halt his three-year assault on Ukraine. US President Donald Trump has been attempting to broker a lasting ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv since his inauguration, but has yet to secure any significant concessions from the Kremlin. In March, Putin rejected a joint US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional ceasefire and has since made only minimal contributions to Trump’s peace efforts.

Ukraine remains skeptical about Russia’s commitment to the truce, citing hundreds of violations during a previous 30-hour ceasefire ordered by Putin over Easter. The Ukrainian government has expressed doubts that Russia will adhere to the current ceasefire, and instead, has called for a more substantial 30-day ceasefire. As the situation continues to unfold, the international community watches with bated breath, hoping for a lasting resolution to the conflict. With the truce in effect, the world waits to see if Russia will honor its commitment to ceasefire and if Ukraine will respond in kind.