Putin orders unexpected three-day ceasefire in May

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared an unexpected three-day ceasefire in Ukraine from May 8-10, while Russia celebrates Victory Day over Nazi Germany in World War II.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared a three-day ceasefire in the war with Ukraine next month to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies in World War II.

The Kremlin said the 72-hour ceasefire would run from the start of May 8 to the end of May 10, and Russia called on Ukraine to join it as well.

In the event of violations by the Ukrainian side, Russia’s armed forces would give an “adequate and effective response”, the statement said.

Earlier on April 19, President Putin declared one day unilateral Easter ceasefire in Ukraine, ordering his forces to end hostilities at 6 pm Moscow time (1500 GMT) until the end of the day.

“Based on humanitarian considerations … the Russian side announces an Easter truce. I order a stop to all military activities for this period,” Putin told his military chief, Valery Gerasimov, at a meeting in the Kremlin.

“We assume that Ukraine will follow our example. At the same time, our troops should be prepared to repel possible violations of the truce and provocations by the enemy, any aggressive actions,” Putin added.

Kyiv, Moscow accuse each other of breaking Easter ceasefire, no extension seen

However, Russia and Ukraine blamed each other later in the day for breaking the one-day Easter ceasefire, with both sides accusing the other of hundreds of attacks and the Kremlin saying there was no order for an extension.