Zelenskyy warns against attending Russia’s May 9 parade amid teetering ceasefire deal

Russian servicemen march towards Red Square on May 4 for the rehearsal of the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 8-9. Photo / AFP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned allies of Russia against attending its May 9 World War II victory parade, as Moscow doubled down on its threat to strike Kyiv on the day.

Moscow has unilaterally declared a ceasefire between May 8 and 10 in its war with Ukraine, in the hope of celebrating its traditional World War II victory parade without fear of attack.

Speaking in central Kyiv on Thursday during a regular video address, Zelenskyy hinted that the ceasefire might not be observed, saying: “We have also received messages from some states close to Russia, saying that their representatives plan to be in Moscow. A strange desire ... in these days. We do not recommend it.”

Ukraine had proposed a counter-truce from May 6, blasting Russia’s move as a propaganda measure to protect the parade - one of the most important patriotic events for Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Zelenskyy said: “They want from Ukraine a permit to hold their parade, so that they can go out onto the square safely for one hour once a year, and then go on killing.”

Minutes before Zelenskyy’s address, the Russian defence ministry urged residents and diplomats to leave Kyiv, threatening a potential retaliatory strike in case of a Ukrainian attack during the unilateral truce.

The defence ministry said in a statement: “We remind the civilian population of Kyiv and staff at foreign diplomatic missions once again of the need to leave the city in good time.”

Russia has vowed that it would “completely” halt fire along the front line and stop long-range strikes on military infrastructure. If Ukraine did not follow suit, Moscow would respond “in kind”.

Russia marks World War II Victory Day each year on May 9 with a massive military parade through Red Square.

Putin has made memory of the war a central narrative of his 25-year rule and invoked it to justify his invasion of Ukraine.

In recent weeks, Kyiv, which has expanded its drone capabilities, has stepped up strikes on Moscow and deep inside Russia, hitting targets hundreds of kilometres from Ukraine.

The attacks have created unease in Russia ahead of the parade, normally a grand show of force displaying tanks and missiles, which marks the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.

Moscow has said it will omit military hardware from the procession for the first time in almost 20 years.

The number of foreign guests has also shrunk – only the leaders of Belarus, Malaysia and Laos will attend, apart from leaders of two Russia-backed Georgian breakaway republics not recognised by the UN, according to the Kremlin.

- AFP