Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced Russia for breaching a unilateral ceasefire announced by Kyiv, citing a surge of drone and missile strikes on civilian targets. The president said the offensive, described as “active hostilities and terrorist shelling,” targeted both civilian areas and the front line.

In the Sumy border region, a kindergarten was struck on Wednesday morning, killing one woman; fortunately no children were present. Earlier that week, both sides declared independent ceasefires with no shared terms or monitoring arrangements. Moscow had called for a truce on 8‑9 May to coincide with Victory Day celebrations, while Kyiv announced an open‑ended ceasefire from midnight on Tuesday, pledging to respond “symmetrically.”

Zelensky called Russia’s actions a “spurning of a ceasefire and of saving lives,” warning that Ukraine would recalibrate its military response based on evening intelligence reports. The latest wave of attacks on Tuesday left 27 Ukrainian civilians dead, including 12 in Zaporizhzhia.

Ukraine’s foreign minister Andriy Sybiha criticized Russia’s “fake calls for a ceasefire” as a distraction from the looming military parade on Red Square. Moscow, which has pledged to protect its population from the conflict, warned that its mobile internet would be disrupted on Saturday for security reasons.

The Kremlin has not addressed Kyiv’s ceasefire demand and has threatened a “massive missile strike” on central Kyiv if Ukraine violates the 8‑9 May truce. Russian officials reported downing 53 Ukrainian drones overnight, though they did not specify how many were launched after the ceasefire took effect.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has intensified long‑range drone strikes on Russian cities, including Moscow, and has targeted deep‑inside Russia, killing two people in Cheboksary over 1,500 km from the front. The ongoing hostilities raise questions about the prospects for a lasting ceasefire.