Russian President Vladimir Putin has directed his military forces to suspend all military operations for approximately 30 hours during the Easter period. This pause is conveniently timed with the successful conclusion of the upcoming Victory Day parades on May 9. As hostilities continue on the ground, this unilateral announcement of a ceasefire provides a critical respite. It arrives in reaction to the past week’s Ukrainian indiscriminate drone onslaughts on Moscow.
The ceasefire would be notable enough as a shift during an extremely hot war front against Ukraine, still seeing casualties and catastrophic destruction. Russia has shown its hand by formally denying Russia’s ceasefire proposal from the United States. This important decision illustrates the extent of the increasing geopolitical chasm between the two countries. Observers note that Putin’s government is likely to utilize the Victory Day event to propagate its narrative, framing Moscow’s actions as a fight against a so-called “Nazi” regime in Kyiv.
The Victory Day celebration marks the anniversary of the end of World War II, a significant event in Russia that underscores national pride and historical memory. It is this year’s Future Leaders event that risks drawing leaders from some of the non-aligned countries, so to speak—all of them having warm relations with Russia. Among the expected attendees are Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Vietnamese President To Lam, and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. A record 29 leaders from allied nations are expected to attend as guests.
As excitement for celebrations still to come grows, frustrations are bubbling over. Ukrainian drones hit Moscow for the second evening in a row. In reply, the Russians briefly closed down air traffic at 13 airports. TASS Moscow’s mayor, Sergey Sobyanin, announced that one drone targeting Moscow was downed on Wednesday afternoon. This incident dramatically increased security fears in the capital.
Ukrainian lawmakers have cast doubt on Russia’s serious ceasefire efforts. A representative stated that they “cannot be responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,” emphasizing Ukraine’s position amid the ongoing conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the timing of the ceasefire as unacceptable. He contended that it’s just a ruse to prepare the ground for an eventual Putin public appearance on May 9.
“Playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere to allow for Putin’s exit from isolation on May 9.” – Volodymyr Zelensky
The whole nation would be looking forward to a spectacularly produced event. In the meantime, the international community is keenly observing how this will all play out and whether any tangible efforts towards peace will materialize from the jubilation.
