Russia's unilateral ceasefire in the war against Ukraine took effect at midnight on May 8. The Russian Defense Ministry had announced the halt in fighting would last until May 10.

Russia announces Victory Day ceasefire, threatens missile strike on Kyiv if Ukraine disrupts celebrations Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on the evening of May 4 that Vladimir Putin had ordered a “ceasefire in honor of the Victory Day celebrations” on May 8 and 9. “We expect the Ukrainian side to follow this example,” the ministry said, warning that if Ukraine attempted to disrupt the celebrations, Russian armed forces would “deliver a retaliatory, massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv.”