Russia does not view the issue of a ceasefire during the 81st anniversary of Victory Day as a pretext for manipulation. Commenting on the situation with alternative ceasefire dates, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Kyiv had put forward its own dates after ignoring Moscow's proposal.

"We're not playing any games here. We offered two days, but there was no response. And then suddenly some games started about it." — the head of state noted in a conversation with journalists.

Putin emphasized that Russia is not participating in such games, and Moscow's position remains principled and consistent. Earlier, on May 4, the Russian Ministry of Defense, by decision of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, declared a ceasefire for May 8 and 9 in honor of Victory Day. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared a unilateral ceasefire effective 00:00 AM on May 6. However, in the following days, military action and drone attacks on Russian regions remained virtually unabated.

Later, on May 8, US President Donald Trump announced a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine for May 9, 10, and 11, which includes a complete cessation of hostilities and a 1000-for-1000 prisoner exchange. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed that the ceasefire, previously proposed by Russia, had been extended until May 11 at Trump's initiative. However, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, since the ceasefire began, Ukrainian armed forces have violated the ceasefire thousands of times, attacking civilian targets in Russian regions.