Brushing aside a unilateral ceasefire declared by Kyiv that came into effect at midnight, Russian forces launched dozens of drones in overnight attacks on Ukraine, officials said on Wednesday.
Russia’s Defence Ministry countered the claims by accusing Ukraine of violating its own truce, stating that its air defences intercepted 53 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, the illegally annexed Crimea, and the Black Sea between Tuesday evening and early Wednesday. According to Russia-installed governor Sergei Aksyonov, five people were killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on the city of Dzhankoi in Crimea. He reported the deaths shortly after midnight, although details of the attack itself were shared more than an hour earlier.
There was no indication from Moscow that it intended to honour Kyiv’s ceasefire proposal and prospects for a halt in fighting remain dim as the war enters its fifth year since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Diplomatic efforts led by the United States over the past year have failed to produce a breakthrough.
On Tuesday, Russian missile and drone strikes across Ukraine killed 27 civilians and injured 120 others, according to Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko. The United Nations estimates that more than 15,000 civilians have died since the conflict began.
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Both sides have continued their long-range strike campaigns. Along the roughly 1,250-kilometre front line, Russian forces—backed by larger troop numbers—remain locked in a slow, grinding battle against Ukraine’s drone-focused defences.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the unilateral ceasefire after Russia indicated it would observe its own brief pause later in the week to mark the 81st anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Zelenskyy warned that any violations would prompt a military response. European leaders welcomed Ukraine’s move, viewing it as a goodwill gesture signalling openness to a negotiated peace.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia launched 108 drones and three missiles overnight, with strikes continuing into Wednesday morning.
“Moscow once again ignored a realistic and fair call to end hostilities, supported by other states and international organisations,” Sybiha wrote on X.
Russia’s proposal to pause fighting on Friday and Saturday follows a pattern of short unilateral ceasefires tied to holidays, most recently Orthodox Easter. However, such pauses have failed to deliver meaningful outcomes, largely due to deep mistrust between the two sides.
Sybiha argued that Russia’s actions undermine its call for a separate ceasefire around May 9, saying it lacks sincerity. “Putin only cares about military parades, not human lives,” he said.
He also urged the international community to intensify pressure on Moscow through additional sanctions, diplomatic isolation, accountability for war crimes, and increased military and humanitarian support for Ukraine.
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