On May 8 at midnight, Russia declared the initiation of a ceasefire with Ukraine, which was supposed to last for three days, consistent with what Vladimir Putin had earlier stated, as reported by Russian news outlets.
Even though the Ministry of Defense has not officially confirmed it, Russian state propaganda channels along with major news organizations announced around midnight Kyiv time that Russia had initiated the ceasefire.
As per the schedule earlier outlined by Russian authorities, the cessation of hostilities was scheduled to begin at midnight on May 8, extend throughout May 9, and conclude by midnight on May 11, thereby lasting for a period of three days altogether.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces Air Force reported that the final observed Russian aerial activity occurred on May 7 at 11:01 PM Kyiv time. According to reports, this involved Russian tactical aircraft launching precision-guided bombs over the Sumy area.
As of now, the red zones on Ukraine’s air alarm map remain only in the occupied Crimea, Luhansk region, and partially in the Kharkiv region. This data is shown by OSINT monitoring (information sourced from open sources).
The Ukrainian Armed Forces’ General Staff has refrained from commenting on the assertions made by the Russian side regarding an alleged truce.
Putin’s three-day ceasefire
Vladimir Putin declared a temporary ceasefire, allegedly for humanitarian purposes, from May 8 to May 11. The main aim of the Kremlin leader is the safe conduct of the grand parade in Moscow on May 9 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
As noted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, official Kyiv is ready to support a ceasefire if Russia reciprocates. The President also emphasized that Russia could agree to a 30-day ceasefire, but this would require pressure from the United States.
Ukrainian military personnel are skeptical of Russia’s ceasefire, recalling that Russia itself did not adhere to its silence regime during Easter.
The French President, Emmanuel Macron, likewise conveyed the perspective that Putin has a low likelihood of honoring the proclaimed “cessation of hostilities” designated for Victory Day.
Additionally, in response to Putin’s idea of a three-day ceasefire, the White House reminded that US President Donald Trump had called for a complete ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.
