Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced late Monday that Ukraine will observe a ceasefire starting at midnight on the night of May 5-6, positioning it ahead of Russia's proposed truce for its Victory Day celebrations.

Zelensky made the statement in a post on X, noting that Ukraine had received no official proposal from Moscow despite claims circulating on Russian social media about a cessation of hostilities. "As of today, there has been no official appeal to Ukraine regarding the modality of a cessation of hostilities that is being claimed on Russian social media," he wrote.

"In this regard, we are announcing a ceasefire regime starting at 00:00 on the night of May 5–6," Zelensky continued. "In the time left until that moment, it is realistic to ensure that silence takes effect. We will act reciprocally starting from that moment." He emphasized that "human life is far more valuable than any anniversary ‘celebration,’" referring to Russia's Victory Day on May 9.

The announcement comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a unilateral two-day truce from May 8-9 to mark the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Russia's Defense Ministry had hoped Ukraine would reciprocate, but Putin warned of a "massive missile strike" on central Kyiv if Ukrainian forces violated the truce or disrupted the Red Square parade.

Ukraine countered by advancing its own ceasefire timeline, calling it a test of whether a genuine pause in fighting could hold. Zelensky urged Russia to take "real steps to end their war," noting Moscow's concerns about Ukrainian drones overflying the parade. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha echoed this on X, stating peace "cannot wait until 'parades' and 'celebrations.'"

This development follows a pattern of short-term truces amid the ongoing conflict, now in its third year. Previous pauses, such as an Easter ceasefire, saw hundreds of alleged violations by Russian forces, according to Kyiv.

Zelensky announced before departing for Bahrain, where he held talks on security cooperation. No immediate response from the Kremlin was reported as of late Monday evening.

The rival truces highlight persistent tensions, with both sides issuing unilateral declarations without coordinated agreements. Analysts view Ukraine's move as an initiative to demonstrate goodwill while pressuring Russia publicly.