Russian president Vladimir Putin on Monday \u200cdeclared a two-day ceasefire in the conflict with Ukraine on May 8-9 to mark Russia\u2019s second World War victory \u200canniversary, but Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy countered with his own proposed pause in fighting starting earlier, on the night of May \u200b5-6.<\/p>\n
Russia\u2019s defence ministry said in a statement on Monday that Moscow expected Ukraine to follow the May 8-9 truce and that Russian forces would take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of commemorations marking the defeat \u200bof Nazi Germany.<\/p>\n
It warned, however, that any attempt by Ukraine to disrupt the celebrations would prompt retaliation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the event \u2060of attempts by the Kyiv regime to implement its criminal plans to disrupt the celebration \u200cof \u200cthe \u200b81st anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will launch a retaliatory, massive missile attack on \u2060the centre of Kyiv,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n
Russia \u200bit said, had been in position to \u200blaunch such an attack before but had \u201cpreviously refrained from such actions on humanitarian grounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are warning the \u200ccivilian population of Kyiv and staff \u200bat foreign diplomatic missions of the need to leave the city in a timely manner,\u201d it \u2060said.<\/p>\n
Zelenskiy, writing on Telegram after attending \u2060a European Political Community \u200bsummit in Armenia, said Ukraine would observe its own ceasefire beginning at midnight on the night of Tuesday, May 5.<\/p>\n
He said Russia had failed to respond to Kyiv\u2019s longstanding calls for a lasting ceasefire, adding that Ukraine was acting because \u201chuman life is incomparably more valuable than the \u2018celebration\u2019 of any anniversary\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this regard, we announce a regime of silence starting from 00.00 on the night of May 5 to May 6,\u201d \u200che wrote.<\/p>\n
Zelenskiy gave no \u2060timeframe for the ceasefire but said Ukraine would \u201cact symmetrically from the specified moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking earlier, Zelenskiy dismissed Russia\u2019s proposed truce, the details of which were unclear at \u200cthe time, as \u201cnot serious.\u201d<\/p>\n
Russia celebrates victory in World War Two on May 9, the day the Soviet Union signed Germany\u2019s \u200bsurrender in 1945. It traditionally holds a military parade, but says \u200bthis year\u2019s commemoration would feature no military hardware because of the threat of increased Ukrainian \u201cterrorist\u201d activity. – Reuters<\/p>\n
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