Ukraine Says Russia Violated Ceasefire as Attacks Hit Multiple Cities
Ceasefire Violations and Ongoing Attacks
May 6 (Reuters) - Ukraine accused Russia of violating a ceasefire initiated by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at midnight on Wednesday, with officials reporting one person killed and three wounded in frontline areas in the north and east of the country.
Statements from Ukrainian Officials
"Russia violated the ceasefire initiated by Ukraine at midnight between May 5th and 6th," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X.
Sybiha said Russian attacks continued throughout the night, including morning strikes on the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia.
Rejection of Peace Efforts
"This shows that Russia rejects peace and its fake calls for a ceasefire on May 9th have nothing to do with diplomacy," he said on X.
Russian President Vladimir Putin "only cares about military parades, not human lives," Sybiha added.
Ceasefire Proposals and Responses
Russian and Ukrainian Ceasefire Announcements
Russia announced a ceasefire for May 8 to 9 to coincide with commemorations of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two and a military parade in Moscow's Red Square.
Ukraine announced its own proposal for an open-ended ceasefire starting at midnight on Wednesday (2100 GMT), urging Russia to reciprocate. Zelenskiy said that Ukraine would act "symmetrically" from that point on.
Details of Recent Attacks
Air Force Warnings and Missile Strikes
Ukraine's air force had issued several warnings of drones and guided aerial bombs launches after midnight. It said on Wednesday that Russia had launched two ballistic missiles, one cruise missile and 108 drones at the country since 6 p.m. local time (1500 GMT).
Impact on Ukrainian Cities
Sumy Region
A Russian drone attack on Wednesday morning on a civilian car in the northern Sumy region killed a passenger and wounded the driver, the regional governor said.
Kharkiv
In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, a Russian drone attack damaged seven private buildings, the city's mayor said early on Wednesday. One woman suffered from an acute stress reaction and one more person has sought medical attention, the regional governor said.
Zaporizhzhia
In the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, where an attack on Tuesday killed 12 people, Russian forces attacked an industrial infrastructure facility, the regional governor reported early on Wednesday.
Kryvyi Rih
The city of Kryvyi Rih came under a morning drone attack, which damaged infrastructure, the local military administration head said, reporting no injuries in the attack.
Casualties from Recent Attacks
Russia launched several attacks in Ukraine on Tuesday, hours before the deadline for Kyiv's ceasefire offer, killing at least 27, Ukrainian officials said.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Lincoln Feast)
