Russian forces initiated assaults in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of at least six individuals, as confirmed by regional authorities following the conclusion of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Ukrainian officials reported that over 200 drones were deployed by Russia overnight, dashing hopes for an extension of the three-day ceasefire that ended on Monday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that Ukrainian forces had targeted gas facilities in Russia’s central Orenburg region, a significant distance of over 1,500 kilometers from the border. Tragically, a drone strike on an apartment complex in Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy’s hometown, claimed the lives of two individuals and injured four others, including their nine-month-old granddaughter whose leg was severed, according to regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha and military administration head Oleksandr Vilkul.
Zelenskyy, expressing his dismay on Telegram, condemned the attack as “cynical and devoid of all military logic,” emphasizing that Russia’s actions continue to inflict harm on Ukrainians. In a separate incident northeast of Kryvyi Rih, an aerial bomb strike resulted in the deaths of four individuals and injuries to three others, as reported by Hanzha. The Ukrainian military’s General Staff stated that there were 170 combat engagements within the past 24 hours along the 1,250-kilometer front, with intense clashes near key Ukrainian defense points in Kostiantynivka and Pokrovsk in the eastern part of the country.
The ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, originally tied to the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, was part of a peace initiative led by then-U.S. President Donald Trump after more than four years of conflict. Despite hopes for an extension of the truce, both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire, with ongoing fighting reported along the front line.
Zelenskyy reiterated Kyiv’s collaboration with European allies to develop defense technologies against ballistic missiles, highlighting discussions involving 13 countries and NATO representatives. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha indicated that Kyiv proposed extending the ceasefire, but Moscow’s response was to escalate by targeting civilian infrastructure with a significant drone attack.
Notably, Zelenskyy lamented the damage caused by intercepted drones, which impacted energy facilities, residential buildings, a kindergarten, and a civilian train. Incidents of damage were reported in various regions, including Kyiv, where a downed drone debris ignited a fire in a residential building. Injuries were reported in the Cherkasy region, while strikes affected Zhytomyr and Chernihiv regions. Additionally, Dnipro, Kherson, and Mykolaiv regions experienced drone attacks resulting in casualties and infrastructure damage, leading to regional blackouts.
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