Russia Rejects Zelensky’s Ceasefire Proposal Ahead of Victory Day Parade in Moscow

Dmitry Peskov said Russia gave “no reaction” to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposed “silence regime” ceasefire before Victory Day celebrations in Moscow. The Kremlin also announced increased security measures for May 9 events amid fears of Ukrainian drone threats, while warning foreign dignitaries in Kyiv of retaliatory strikes. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov walks at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on September 2, 2025. (Photo by Maxim Shemetov / POOL / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google As Moscow prepares for its high-profile Victory Day celebrations under tightened security, the Kremlin says it ignored Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposed “silence regime” ceasefire while warning of growing security threats around May 9 events in Russia. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia’s unilateral ceasefire announced for May 8-9 would remain in place, but claimed Moscow gave “no reaction” to Zelensky’s earlier proposal for a ceasefire beginning after midnight on May 6. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . The comments come amid rising tensions ahead of Russia’s annual Victory Day parade, marking the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany on Red Square, one of the Kremlin’s most symbolically important public events. Peskov said Russian special services would introduce additional security measures in Moscow during the celebrations, citing what he described as a “rather complicated operational situation” linked to the threat of Ukrainian attacks. The remarks follow Zelensky’s warning that Russia could not guarantee the safety of events on Red Square during wartime, particularly amid increasingly frequent long-range drone strikes inside Russian territory. A Ukrainian drone struck a residential high-rise in western Moscow early Monday, damaging apartments and scattering debris, after the drone was engaged by Kremlin active air defenses and electronic warfare (EW) countermeasures (ECM), according to Russian officials and media. Other Topics of Interest Russia Scolds Ally Armenia For Hosting Zelensky Russia criticised Armenia for hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a European summit, calling it “incomprehensible” and warning against closer EU ties. The dispute highlights worsening Russia–Armenia relations as Yerevan distances itself from Moscow, freezes CSTO ties, and signals a possible EU path that the Kremlin says could bring serious consequences. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the drone hit a building near Mosfilmovskaya Street around 1 a.m. Russian Telegram channels reported that the strike hit a high-rise complex, destroying walls in three rooms on the 36th floor. Part of the facade collapsed onto a parked car, with debris and shattered glass scattered below. A report by Bloomberg cited Sobyanin stating that Moscow air defenses engaged two Ukrainian drones, resulting in one hitting a building on Mosfilmovskaya Street, directly linking the intercept of two drones to the building strike. “Moscow air defenses repelled an attack by two Ukrainian drones, and one hit the building on Mosfilmovskaya Street, according to a post Monday by Mayor Sergei Sobyanin,” according to the Bloomberg report. According to Astra, the building is located about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the Kremlin. On May 4, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced a unilateral truce for May 8-9. The move came shortly after Zelensky suggested Ukrainian drones could potentially appear over Moscow during the parade. Ukraine later announced its own “silence regime” starting May 6, but Zelensky said Russia responded with new strikes, forcing Kyiv to act “symmetrically.” According to Zelensky, Moscow ignored the offer within hours. He said Ukrainian authorities recorded more than 1,800 strikes and attacks across several regions, including Donetsk, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. “Russia has not stopped any type of its military activity,” Zelensky said. He added that Ukraine would respond “mirror-like” to Russian actions and would determine “fully justified responses” depending on developments overnight and on May 7. Moscow, in response, warned foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations on Wednesday that it could launch “ massive retaliatory strikes ” on Kyiv, including against “decision-making centers,” if Ukraine disrupts Victory Day events in Moscow. Peskov also declined to directly comment on reports by CNN and other outlets citing alleged European intelligence assessments about possible instability within Russia’s security elite and concerns over threats to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Instead, the Kremlin spokesperson focused on questioning references to “European intelligence” and said security measures for Putin remain standard practice “for every head of state around the world.” The reports, first circulated on May 4, claimed an EU intelligence service had not ruled out the possibility of internal tensions or even a coup scenario involving former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, though the information has not been independently verified. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice.