Confusion surrounds Victory Day ceasefire as both Russia, Ukraine report drone attacks, front line fighting
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Russia continued launching attacks along the front line despite its self-declared ceasefire, which was supposed to remain in effect from May 8 to May 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 8 on Facebook.
Zelensky's statement came hours after Russia claimed its forces had fully halted combat operations from midnight on May 8 as part of a temporary ceasefire tied to the country's annual Victory Day celebrations.
Ukraine has not confirmed that Russia approached it with a proposal for a mutual ceasefire from May 8 to May 10, which Russian President Vladimir Putin announced unilaterally on the evening of May 7.
More than 140 strikes on Ukrainian front-line positions had been recorded by 7 a.m. local time, according to Zelensky.
Russian forces also carried out 10 assaults overnight, primarily in the Sloviansk sector, while launching more than 850 drone strikes using FPV (first-person-view) drones, Lancet drones, and other systems, the president said.
Russian reconnaissance drone flights over frontline communities continued overnight, Zelensky added.
"All of this clearly shows that, on the Russian side, there was not even a token attempt to cease fire on the front," Zelensky said.
At the same time, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that all Russian military groupings involved in the war against Ukraine had "completely ceased combat operations" from midnight Moscow time on May 8 and remained at their previously occupied positions.
Ukrainian and Russian long-range drones also conducted mutual strikes against each other throughout the night.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that its air defenses shot down 264 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple Russian regions.
The drones were reportedly intercepted over 15 Russian regions, including Moscow Oblast. Ukrainian drones were also shot down over occupied Crimea and the Azov and Black Seas, according to Russia's Defense Ministry.
Russia also launched 67 long-range drones against Ukraine, 56 of which were shot down. Eleven drones got through and struck eight locations, while debris was also reported at seven other sites, Ukraine's Air Force said.
The attacks came as Russia prepared for its annual Victory Day celebrations on May 9, commemorating the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Moscow has used the holiday to showcase military strength and justify its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
This year's celebrations have been scaled back amid Ukraine's expanding long-range strike campaign. The Kremlin said heavy military equipment would not be displayed during the parade.
Russia previously announced a unilateral ceasefire for May 8-9 ahead of the Victory Day celebrations, while Ukraine proposed an earlier truce beginning at midnight on May 6 in what Zelensky described as a test of Moscow's willingness to genuinely halt hostilities.
The latest accusations follow the collapse of that ceasefire proposal earlier this week.
Zelensky said Russia violated the Ukrainian-proposed ceasefire 1,820 times within hours of it taking effect on May 6, while Moscow accused Kyiv of attacks on Russian territory and occupied Crimea during the same period.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova also accused Kyiv of threatening the Victory Day celebrations and said Moscow had advised foreign diplomatic missions accredited in Russia to withdraw personnel from Kyiv because of what she described as an "inevitable retaliatory strike" by Russian forces.
"We will defend our positions and people's lives," Zelensky said on May 8.
"Russia must end its war, and everyone will truly see it when movement toward peace begins," he added.
