Hope or mistrust: Russians divided over Ukraine ceasefire

A day after Ukrainian drones exploded in his Moscow suburb, news of a US-proposed ceasefire in Ukraine for 30 days gave Russian builder Dmitry "great hope."

The West has said "the ball" is now in Moscow's court after Kyiv agreed to the plan, but it is not yet clear what the Kremlin's next move will be.

Muscovites on Wednesday were divided over whether Russia should agree to the truce.

Some saw it as a long-awaited step towards peace, while others were suspicious of the move, towing a hardline position after three years of Russian troops seizing Ukrainian territory.

"Yesterday, my wife and I woke up from the sound of the unusual bangs and explosions," 47-year-old Dmitry, who lives in the northern suburb of Vnukovo that was targeted by Kyiv, told AFP.

"Of course, I am waiting for the ceasefire with great hope," he said. He longed for an end to "all negative things, rockets flying, drones, and people dying", he added.

The Kremlin said Wednesday it was awaiting more information from the US on the proposed ceasefire before making a decision.

It has previously ruled out partial halts to the fighting.

 'War will just start again'  

While some like Dmitry saw a window of opportunity for an end to the conflict, others were more wary after three years of bitter confrontation with the West.

Many of President Vladimir Putin's hardline supporters opposed the plan.

"I am against it," 45-year-old Anna Kozlova, who works for Russia's state prison service, who said she followed pro-Kremlin social media channels.

"I do not believe that it will be a month ceasefire and that after 30 days it will lead to peace," she said, repeating the Kremlin's argument that any temporary halt would give Kyiv time to re-arm.

"War will just start again," she said.

Hardliners will expect the Kremlin to resist any Western demands.

The ceasefire proposal has also led to a sense of confusion in Russia over US President Donald Trump's position as he tries to end the conflict, launched by Moscow in February 2022.

Trump's friendly call with Putin and clashes with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had led to some euphoria in pro-Kremlin circles and expectations of a deal on Russia's terms.

But after the Ukraine-US talks in Jeddah, Washington restarted its flow of military aid to Kyiv, something long criticised by Moscow.

Dentist Sergei said he had "hope" in the Trump administration's efforts to try to end the conflict. He welcomed the fact that relations with Washington had improved since Joe Biden left the White House.

"I think it is not a bad thing that the Americans are doing these (negotiations). It's better than under Biden, as some kind of tiny-tiny hope has appeared," said the 54-year-old who also described himself as a "traveller".

 'Our side will not agree'  

But he worried that the ceasefire would not solve the conflict and that neither Kyiv or Moscow would make meaningful concessions, leading to deadlock.

Russia has occupied swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine since launching its full-scale offensive in 2022.

"Ukraine is unlikely to agree to give up territory... And on our side, these territories are announced as part of Russia," he said.

"And our side will not agree to just a demarcation line," he added.

Rehabilitation medic Sergei said he would back the ceasefire and would be "happy if everything will be solved in a peaceful way".

The 27-year-old echoed growing Russian fatigue of the conflict.

"The less you think about this (conflict), the easier it is to live," he said.