The publication cited Ushakov as saying that “Putin proposed a one-day ceasefire for Trinity Sunday, during which he refrained from ordering a massive missile strike.”
According to the Russian leader’s aide, the proposal was conveyed to U.S. presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, who then passed it on to President Donald Trump.
Ushakov claimed the ceasefire applied only to long-range strikes and did not extend to combat operations along the front line.
Dmytro Lytvyn, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, denied reports that Russia had postponed a planned strike on Ukrainian oblasts.
He said Russia has shown no signs of goodwill and continues preparations for new large-scale attacks. According to Lytvyn, such statements may be part of an information campaign and do not reflect any genuine intention by Moscow to reduce the intensity of hostilities.
“All of this fake piety is needed only to create favorable conditions for preparing a strike,” Lytvyn said.
Preparations for a new Russian mass strike on Ukraine
On May 29, during a meeting with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, Zelenskyy said Russia was preparing a new large-scale strike against Ukraine.
From 6 p.m. on May 29 until the morning of May 30, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with one Iskander-M ballistic missile, six Kh-101 cruise missiles and 290 drones, including Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas and Parodiya-type UAVs.
Ukraine’s air defenses neutralized 284 targets, including five Kh-101 missiles and 279 drones over the country’s north, south, center and east.
The attack resulted in nine Shahed drone strikes at seven locations, while debris from intercepted targets fell in 10 locations. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, two Russian missiles — one cruise and one ballistic — failed to reach their targets.
On May 30, Zelenskyy said intelligence reports warning of a possible large-scale Russian strike on Ukraine remained valid.
Overnight into May 31, Russia launched 229 attack drones, including jet-powered Shaheds, Gerbera, Italmas and Parodiya decoy drones.
As of 8:30 a.m., Ukrainian air defenses had shot down or suppressed 212 enemy drones over northern and eastern Ukraine.
Authorities reported 14 drone strikes at 11 locations, as well as debris from downed drones falling at five sites.
In particular, a Russian drone struck an enterprise in the Koriukivka district of Chernihiv Oblast overnight on May 31, killing a 58-year-old man.