The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, announced on the evening of May 4 that the Ukrainian side is implementing a “ceasefire regime” in the war with Russia, starting at midnight on May 6. According to the head of state, by this time Ukraine intends to ensure preparation for the ceasefire and will act reciprocally in response to Russia’s actions.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Circumstances of the ceasefire announcement
Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine has not received any official requests regarding the details of the cessation of hostilities, as reported in Russian social media. The President stressed that, in his opinion, it is time for the Russian leadership to take real steps to end the war.
“In the time leading up to this moment, it is realistic to ensure the onset of a ceasefire. We will act reciprocally, starting from the specified moment. It is time for Russian leaders to take real steps to end their war, especially if the Russian Ministry of Defense believes it cannot hold a parade in Moscow without Ukraine’s goodwill.”
Earlier on May 4, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced an initiative from Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding a ceasefire on May 8 and 9. The ministry added that it expects similar actions from Ukraine, but no official proposals have been sent to Kyiv.
Threats and the situation in Moscow
The Russian Ministry of Defense also issued further threats, stating that a “massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv” could occur if Kyiv attempts to disrupt the celebration of the anniversary of Victory in World War II. For his part, Zelensky emphasized that he supports the idea of a ceasefire, but not just for holding a parade in Moscow. According to Russian sources, this year’s parade will take place in a reduced format, without the use of military equipment.
On the night of May 4, a drone attack was recorded in Moscow. One of the drones hit a residential building on Mosfilmovskaya Street, overcoming all defensive lines located six kilometers from the Kremlin. The Ukrainian side has not confirmed involvement in the incident. The previous night, drones attacked several other regions of Russia, including Moscow and Leningrad Oblasts.
In the capital of Russia, ahead of the parade, the local community is being warned about possible communication restrictions in the coming days.
Due to the tense situation in the Middle East, trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia, which took place at the beginning of the year, are currently postponed. At the same time, Zelensky noted that he does not consider these negotiations to be futile.
According to the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the situation on the front at the end of March 2026 indicates that “significant Russian gains on the front, let alone a complete victory, are not inevitable.” ISW analysts suggest that the Chief of the General Staff of Russia, Valery Gerasimov, is trying to conceal the lack of progress of the Russian army in the spring-summer offensive of 2026.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, also stated that Russia is suffering significant losses but is not giving up attempts to continue offensive actions.