Escalation in Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Ukraine Accuses Russia of Breaching Own Truce Following Attacks on Sumy; Ukraine's President Zelenskyy Maintains Stance on 30-Day Ceasefire Despite Moscow's Three-Day Truce Proposal
Fresh Take:
Putin's 72-hour ceasefire in Ukraine falls short, Ukraine claims.
Russia's bid for a short-lived truce doesn't seem to impress Ukraine, who've accused Moscow of breaking their own declared ceasefire, barely hours after it started.
Ukrainian Casualties on Day One
The Sumy region, located in northern Ukraine, bore the brunt of the early morning attacks on Thursday. According to Ukrainian officials, Russian aircraft tossed guided bombs on residential areas three times after midnight, leading to the death of a 55-year-old woman and injury of two others. Regional rescuers on Telegram reported that "night shelling" caused three residential buildings to catch fire, unfortunately taking the life of a civilian.
Multiple Ceasefire Violations
"Russian forces continue to attack across the entire frontline," announced Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. He noted an alarming 734 ceasefire violations and 63 assault operations by Russia in a 24-hour span, with 23 of these ongoing attacks at the time.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry asserted that Ukraine had launched 488 attacks on Russian targets and attempted border breaches twice in the Kursk region.
Veracity of the Ceasefire
Amidst this chaos, the Kremlin insists its troops will adhere to Putin's ceasefire order for the holiday, but promises retaliation if Ukraine decides to take things into their own hands. Despite the Kremlin's claims, Ukraine declared an air alert in its eastern regions, fearing that Russia might resort to using ballistic missiles, despite the truce.
Interestingly, no reports of long-range drones or missiles launched on Ukrainian cities surfaced after the Kremlin-sponsored ceasefire took effect.
Commemoration and Countermeasures
Vladimir Putin is hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders in Moscow, with a planned military parade on Red Square to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took a rare walk in central Kyiv, honoring fallen Ukrainian soldiers at a massive flag mound on the city square. He described Putin's May 9 parade as "a parade of bile and lies."
Zelenskyy also acknowledged Ukraine's part in targeting Russian sites as the World War II commemorations approached.
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Related Stories:
- Ukraine-Russia Tensions Escalate despite Declared Ceasefire
- Russian Aggression: Analyzing Ukraine's Response
- The Path to Peace: Challenges and Prospects for Ukraine-Russia Conflict Resolution
- Amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Russia has proposed a 72-hour ceasefire, but Ukraine claims it has already been broken, raising concerns in the realm of war-and-conflicts and politics.
- The offer of a ceasefire seems to have fallen short, as Ukraine reports multiple ceasefire violations and ongoing assault operations, with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announcing over 700 violations in a 24-hour span.
- On Thursday, the city of Sumy in northern Ukraine suffered casualties after Russian aircraft allegedly bombed residential areas three times after midnight, resulting in the tragedy of a 55-year-old woman's death and injuries to two others.
- While the Kremlin insists its troops will follow Putin's ceasefire order for the holiday, Ukraine remains on alert, fearing potential use of ballistic missiles in retaliation and declaring an air alert in its eastern regions.
- In the midst of these war-related developments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy chose to honor fallen soldiers with a rare walk in Kyiv, criticizing Putin's upcoming military parade in Moscow as a "parade of bile and lies," while acknowledging Ukraine's actions targeting Russian sites ahead of the World War II commemorations.
