A unilateral ceasefire declared by Moscow in its war against Ukraine has begun ahead of the country’s traditional Victory Day commemorations.
The Russian Defence Ministry reaffirmed on Thursday that the truce, announced by Moscow earlier this week, would come into effect from midnight on Friday (Thursday 2100 GMT) until May 10. It was not immediately clear whether fighting had fully halted.
At midnight local time, there were no air raid alerts reported across most of Ukraine. In Russia, state news agency TASS said temporary security-related restrictions were introduced at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport shortly after midnight, citing the aviation authority Rosaviatsia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in a video address that foreign representatives from Russia-friendly states should avoid travelling to Moscow for the May 9 Victory Day parade, calling such visits “An odd desire at a time like this.”
Russia marks Victory Day on May 9 with a military parade on Moscow’s Red Square, commemorating the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany. Security has tightened in the capital in light of Ukrainian drone attacks, which Kiev has expanded deep into Russian territory in recent months. The Kremlin also abruptly disinvited foreign journalists from the parade.
Earlier this week, Russia announced a ceasefire covering Friday and Saturday. Ukraine responded with a unilateral truce beginning Wednesday, but later withdrew it after what it said that Russia continued with its attacks, including one of its largest drone strikes so far in the conflict.