MOSCOW, May 4 (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared a two-day ceasefire in the conflict with Ukraine on May 8-9 to mark the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War Two, Russia’s Defence Ministry said.
The ministry added that it counted on the Ukrainian side to follow suit and that Russia would launch a massive retaliatory missile strike on the centre of Kyiv if Ukraine attempted to disrupt Victory Day celebrations.
“Despite the capabilities at our disposal, Russia has previously refrained from such actions on humanitarian grounds,” it said in a statement, adding however that it was ready to act if the ceasefire was not respected.
“We are warning the civilian population of Kyiv and staff at foreign diplomatic missions of the need to leave the city in a timely manner,” it said.
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Aidan Lewis and Susan Fenton)
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