Military analyst Boris Rozhin said Vladimir Zelensky’s initiative to introduce a silence regime from midnight on May 6 is a political maneuver aimed at creating the illusion of Kiev’s peaceful intentions and trying to seize the initiative from Russia, which had earlier proposed a ceasefire for Victory Day.

According to Rozhin, the date was not chosen by chance. He believes Kiev is trying to contrast itself with Moscow and present Ukraine as the side putting forward peace initiatives. In his assessment, however, the real goal is to gain time and secure several extra days of ceasefire, since the situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the front remains extremely difficult and Ukrainian troops need a pause to regroup and prepare for new attacks.

Rozhin is convinced that there is no real ceasefire in question. In his view, the Ukrainian Armed Forces will continue strikes on Russian territory, including with drones, and will also prepare new provocations and terrorist attacks. Possible violations, he believes, will be blamed by Kiev on individual Ukrainian militants or on alleged provocations by Russia.

He described Zelensky’s silence regime as a smokescreen for preparing further escalation. According to Rozhin, the move will have no long-term effect because it is only another stage of informational and military confrontation. The analyst added that Ukraine had not observed ceasefires before and would not observe this one either.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared May 8–9 ceasefire days in the combat zone to mark the victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.