Russian Foreign Ministry Claims Zelenskyy Never Ordered Ceasefire

(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has levelled sweeping accusations against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, alleging his ceasefire announcement was a calculated media stunt entirely detached from any genuine military directive — while issuing a cascade of fresh warnings to Kyiv, European capitals, and Vienna.

Addressing reporters at a press briefing in Moscow on Thursday, Zakharova alleged that Zelenskyy's announced ceasefire for May 5–6 was never accompanied by any corresponding operational orders to Ukrainian forces on the ground.

"As far as we know, he did not issue any order for a ceasefire at all. This is all bloody PR," she said.

Zakharova contended the announcement was engineered for media consumption and tied directly to battlefield developments rather than any genuine commitment to de-escalation.

Turning to Russia's own ceasefire proposal for May 8–9 — which she said was endorsed by US President Donald Trump during an April 29 phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin — Zakharova claimed the initiative exposed Kyiv's true disposition.

"This initiative … caused a nervous, hysterical reaction at the Bankova (administration building in Kyiv)," she said.

She further alleged that Zelenskyy subsequently moved to undermine the proposal and implied the Ukrainian leader had hinted at possible drone strikes targeting the Victory Day parade at Moscow's Red Square. Remarks made during a gathering of European Political Community leaders in Yerevan, she warned, would not be taken lightly by Moscow.

Zakharova issued a direct caution that Russia would respond firmly to any provocations and urged that Russian Defense Ministry statements on the ceasefire and its potential consequences be treated with full seriousness.

The spokeswoman also trained her criticism on European heads of state, accusing them of silently endorsing threatening rhetoric directed at Russia.

"These statements were made with the tacit consent, and in fact the spiteful approval, of the leaders of European states. This characterizes them specifically. It simply reveals their cards, which they had been hiding up their sleeves. No, now there are no doubts left. This is exactly what they need," she said.

Zakharova additionally cited what she described as an attack on TASS journalist Alexander Polegenko during the Ukraine-declared ceasefire period, framing the alleged incident as proof of Kyiv's duplicity.

"The terrorist attack by Kyiv should be assessed by relevant international structures," she said.

Zelenskyy's appearance and speech in Armenia drew particular condemnation, with Zakharova describing it as having caused "deep indignation" in Russia and warning that Moscow would not forget that Yerevan had hosted a platform from which threats against Russia were publicly voiced.

On the separate matter of Austria's expulsion of Russian diplomats, Zakharova gave notice that Moscow would retaliate with "tough and painful" measures against Vienna, though she stopped short of specifying the nature of those countermeasures.

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