Zelensky accuses Russia of violating ceasefire

Russiahas ignored a request by Kyiv to cease hostilities, Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskysaid on Wednesday, reporting more than 1,800 violations of his unilateral ceasefire announcement.

“As of today, we can confirm that the Russian side has disrupted the ceasefire regime,” Zelensky wrote on X.

He said Kyiv would decide on how to proceed on Wednesday evening based on military and intelligence reports.

Ukraine declared a ceasefire effective at midnight on Wednesday (2100 GMT Tuesday) and called on Russia to join it. However, Moscow had previously announced its own ceasefire would come into force on Friday to mark its Victory Day celebrations on May 9, which commemorate the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had earlier accused Moscow of violating Kyiv’s ceasefire. “Russian attacks with the use of 108 drones and 3 missiles continued throughout the night, including morning strikes on Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia,” he wrote on X.

“Moscow once again ignored a realistic and fair call to end hostilities, supported by other states and international organizations,” Sybiha wrote. “This shows that Russia rejects peace and its fake calls for a ceasefire on May 9th have nothing to do with diplomacy. Putin only cares about military parades, not human lives.”

Fewer attacks were reported overnight after a wave of Russian strikes left dozens killed in Ukraine on Tuesday.

The Russian Defence Ministry reported 53 Ukrainian drones were intercepted over its territory and the annexed Crimean Peninsula, Russian news agencies said. It was unclear whether the drones were shot down before the start of Zelensky’s ceasefire.

The Ukrainian Air Force said 89 drones were intercepted.

Nevertheless, one woman was reported killed in a Russian drone strike on the north-eastern Sumy region.

Military governor Oleh Hryhorov wrote on Telegram that Russia struck a civilian car. The driver was taken to hospital with injuries, while a female passenger was killed.

The Sumy region borders Russia and has been severely affected by the conflict, which has been ongoing for more than four years.

ANEWS wp:paragraph