KYIV – Ukrainian authorities reported that Russia launched numerous drone assaults against Ukraine overnight, despite Kyiv’s declaration of a unilateral ceasefire starting at midnight on Wednesday.
The Russian Defense Ministry countered these claims, stating that Ukraine failed to honor its ceasefire. It reported that 53 Ukrainian drones were intercepted by Russian air defenses throughout various regions, including the unlawfully annexed Crimean peninsula and the Black Sea, from Tuesday night into early Wednesday.
Moscow has shown no inclination to respect Kyiv’s ceasefire, leaving little optimism for a halt in the ongoing conflict, now in its fifth year following Russia’s full-scale invasion. Attempts led by the U.S. to mediate peace over the past year have not yielded results.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the ceasefire initiative after Russia declared its intention to observe a unilateral ceasefire later in the week, commemorating the 81st anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II. Zelenskyy warned that any violation of the ceasefire would provoke a military reaction.
According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Russian forces unleashed 108 drones and three missiles overnight, with attacks persisting into the morning hours of Wednesday.
“Moscow has once more disregarded a fair and realistic appeal to cease hostilities, which is backed by other nations and international bodies,” Sybiha remarked in a post on X.
On Tuesday, Russian drone and missile strikes on Ukraine killed at least 22 people and wounded more than 80 others, authorities said.
Moscow’s proposal to stop fighting on Friday and Saturday follows a pattern of Russia declaring short unilateral ceasefires during the war timed to coincide with various holidays, most recently Orthodox Easter.
Those suspensions of combat don’t produce any tangible results amid deep mistrust between the warring sides.
Sybiha said Russia’s actions exposed its calls for a separate ceasefire around May 9 as insincere. “Putin only cares about military parades, not human lives,” he said.
The diplomat called for increased international pressure on Moscow, including new sanctions, diplomatic isolation, accountability measures for war crimes and expanded military and civilian support for Ukraine.
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