Ukrainian authorities reported that Russia launched numerous drones at Ukraine during nighttime assaults, in defiance of a ceasefire declared by Kyiv that commenced at midnight. The Russian Defence Ministry alleged that Ukraine had not adhered to its own ceasefire, claiming that their air defenses had downed 53 Ukrainian drones over Russian territories, including Crimea and the Black Sea, from Tuesday evening to early Wednesday.
According to Russia-installed Governor Sergei Aksyonov, a Ukrainian drone strike in Crimea’s city of Dzhankoi resulted in the death of five individuals. Aksyonov disclosed the casualties shortly after midnight, although he had mentioned the attack itself more than 90 minutes before.
Despite Kyiv’s ceasefire announcement, there was no official indication from Moscow that it would respect the ceasefire. Diplomatic efforts led by the U.S. to halt the conflict over the past year have failed. On Tuesday, Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko stated that Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine led to the deaths of 27 civilians and injuries to 120 others.
In a separate incident, two Russian drones struck a kindergarten in Sumy city, northeastern Ukraine, killing a security guard and injuring two other individuals. Fortunately, no children were present at the time of the attack.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported that Russian attacks in recent days had killed over 70 civilians and wounded more than 500 individuals across 14 regions. The conflict has claimed the lives of more than 15,000 civilians, as per the United Nations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Russia for continuing shelling activities despite Kyiv’s ceasefire declaration. Zelenskyy urged Russia to end its invasion and emphasized the importance of moving towards genuine peace through diplomatic means.
On Friday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced that Russian air defenses intercepted over 50 drones en route to the capital over a 15-hour period. Russia’s Defence Ministry reported intercepting 95 Ukrainian drones in various central and southern regions over a four-hour span.
Both sides have maintained long-range strike operations along the front line. Zelenskyy had declared a unilateral ceasefire following Russia’s announcement of a brief pause in hostilities to mark the anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha disclosed that Russian forces launched 108 drones and three missiles overnight, with attacks persisting into Wednesday. Sybiha criticized Moscow for disregarding calls for a halt to hostilities and highlighted the insincerity of Russia’s proposed ceasefires during holidays.
Sybiha called for increased international pressure on Russia, including sanctions, diplomatic isolation, accountability for war crimes, and enhanced support for Ukraine.