According to the Kremlin, such a ceasefire will prevail from May 8 to 10, around the clock, for "humanitarian reasons".
According to reports in state-controlled Russian media, Putin is personally declaring the ceasefire on the occasion of the so-called Victory Day on May 9, when the end of World War II is commemorated and millions of fallen soldiers are remembered. This year, it has been 80 years since the war ended.
"Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example", continues the Russian statement on the ceasefire.
"Why wait until May 8?", asks Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha on social media, adding that a longer ceasefire should be implemented immediately.
Has happened several times
The invading power Russia has declared several unilateral ceasefires, which have rarely held and have not been based on any agreement with Ukraine.
As Russia's President Vladimir Putin has for a long time attached great importance to the victory over Nazi Germany with grand parades incorporating the Russian military, it has gained a divided meaning in many other former Soviet states where great sacrifices were also made, such as Ukraine.
The Ukrainian government has previously made a point of moving the memorial day to May 8, in line with countries in Western Europe.
During the Russian invasion war, Russia and Putin have also portrayed Ukraine's democratically elected government as a "Nazi regime" with rhetoric that alludes to a deeply rooted victory narrative among some Russians. As recently as Monday, Ukrainians were called Nazis in an official statement from the Kremlin.
"Why wait?"
If Ukraine's forces violate the Russian ceasefire, the Russian military will respond, it further states in the Kremlin's message. A similar short ceasefire was declared during the Easter weekend, and when fighting continued, the sides accused each other.
US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyj met at the Pope's funeral over the weekend. Afterwards, Trump openly wondered if Putin really wants to end the war or if he is playing a game.
Trump wants to achieve a permanent ceasefire, emphasizes his spokesperson Karoline Leavitt at a press conference after Monday's Russian statement.
