Russian President Vladimir Putin’s May 9 ceasefire is aimed at giving Russia an advantage on and off the battlefield, not at achieving a lasting peace in Ukraine, according to US analysts.
In a new report released on April 28, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), said Putin is using the truce to rest troops, prepare for more attacks, and send a message to both Russian citizens and international audiences during Victory Day celebrations.
Analysts say this is part of a pattern: Putin often announces ceasefires around major holidays like Easter or Victory Day. These short pauses are meant to pressure Ukraine into agreeing – so it doesn’t look bad to the West – while Russia continues preparing for future offensives.
Putin has ignored US-backed proposals for broader ceasefires, including a 30-day truce suggested by US President Donald Trump in March. Instead, he makes his own offers on his own terms, with no clear way to check if either side is following the rules.
“Putin is using these one-sided ceasefires to improve his military position and appear open to peace talks, without actually committing to real peace,” the ISW report said.
During the Easter truce, Russian forces shelled Ukrainian positions and scouted the front lines. ISW expects the same tactics to be used during the May 9 pause.
Putin claimed he had ordered a three-day ceasefire in Russia’s war in Ukraine from May 8-11, coinciding with Moscow’s World War II Victory Day commemorations, the Kremlin announced Monday, April 28.
President Volodymyr Zelensky and his aides on Monday said that a three-day truce announced by Putin was nothing less than an “attempt at manipulation.”
Zelensky said in his daily address: “Now there’s a new attempt at manipulation: for some reason, everyone has to wait until May 8.”
Zelensky’s administration has said Ukraine wants an immediate truce with Russia for “at least 30 days.”
Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha echoed the president’s statements on social media: “If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately. Why wait until May 8th?”