Russia disregards 3-day truce as Ukraine denounces it as a sham
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Ukraine's foreign minister bluntly branded Russia's so-called 'ceasefire' as a sham on Thursday, hours after it kicked off, as clashes persisted along the frontline. Moscow, on the other hand, leveled accusations at Kyiv for continuing the fighting.
Despite the reduction in combat activity following the ceasefire initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, there's been a concerning increase in skirmishes since then, according to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha. He claimed that Russian forces had committed over 700 ceasefire violations and 63 assault operations, with 23 of these incidents still ongoing.
Sybiha disclosed that Kyiv was reaching out to the United States and European countries to voice their concerns over Russia's actions.
Contrasting statements emerged from the Russian defense ministry, as reported by Interfax news agency. They asserted that Ukraine had launched 488 attacks on Russian targets and had twice attempted to breach the border in the Kursk region.
Neither side appeared to acknowledge each other's battlefield reports, with Reuters unable to independently confirm the accuracy of these statements.
A briefing issued by the General Staff of Ukraine's military, almost 24 hours into the claimed ceasefire, reported 154 clashes. Russian forces, as per the report, had carried out one missile attack and 15 air strikes.
Meanwhile, the governor of southeastern Zaporizhzhia region announced that a Russian drone had struck a vehicle in the southern region, causing a passenger's death. In addition, a missile launched by Russian forces was allegedly downed in central Poltava region, causing damage to some private homes, though no casualties were reported.
Ukraine, in general, has been dismissive of the ceasefire, viewing it as a ploy by Putin to create an illusion of an end to the war. The ongoing conflict began when Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Putin, however, insists that he seeks peace.
According to Reuters journalists accompanying a Ukrainian drone unit near the front in eastern Ukraine, a small Russian infantry contingent attempted to advance on Thursday. Yet, these attempts were halted by the drones operated by the unit, with the Ukrainian soldiers observing the skirmish on live feeds transmitted onto monitors in their bunker.
One soldier, who identified himself as 'Mikha,' reported that the infantry continued to advance. Another team member, `Nazar,' stated that they had experienced three Russian assaults on their section of the front since the commencement of the Russian ceasefire. Nazar questioned the effectiveness of the ceasefire when asked, "The facts speak for themselves."
The Ukrainian military spokesperson declared earlier that the Russian forces had persisted with attacks in areas along the eastern front and revealed that two individuals had been wounded in the northern Sumy region, in addition to a 55-year-old woman who was killed by bombs fired in the region.
The Russian ceasefire coincides with the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, a victory Putin is celebrating by hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders at a military parade on Red Square on May 9. Ukraine and the West, however, mark the victory day on May 8.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commemorated the day by taking a rare stroll in central Kyiv, observing a mound of Ukrainian flags planted on a grassy square. This brief, selfie-style video of Zelenskyy and his journey through the city indicated no presence of his security detail.
Zelenskyy criticized the upcoming celebration in Moscow, referring to it as "a parade of cynicism" and describing it as an attempt to distort history. He suggested that Putin's victory claims were deceitful, stating, "as if not dozens of allied states, but Putin personally defeated Nazism."
Ukraine has carried out several drone attacks on Moscow this week, forcing the temporary closure of airports in the Russian capital and grounding airlines. However, as of Thursday evening, Russia's aviation authority reported that airline schedules, disrupted earlier in the week, were now operational.
Zelenskyy spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump, proposing a 30-day ceasefire as a step towards peace with Russia. Zelenskyy also held talks with Germany's new Chancellor Friedrich Merz and assurance of continued support was promised. Additionally, Zelenskyy spoke with European Union Executive Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen.
- Despite the Russian-declared ceasefire in Ukraine on Thursday, skirmishes along the frontline have persisted, as claimed by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who reported over 700 ceasefire violations by Russian forces.
- In a stark contrast, the Russian defense ministry accused Ukraine of launching attacks on Russian targets and attempting to breach the border, claims that were not acknowledged by Ukraine.
- Reuters, covering the war-and-conflicts and general-news, was unable to independently confirm the accuracy of either side's battlefield reports.
- As the Russian ceasefire coincides with the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the upcoming celebration in Moscow, describing it as a "parade of cynicism" and suggesting that Putin's victory claims were deceptive.
