KYIV, May 6: Russia carried out drone and missile strikes on Ukraine overnight, Ukrainian officials said, despite a unilateral ceasefire announced by Kyiv that began at midnight. The attacks underline the ongoing intensity of the war and the failure of temporary truce efforts to hold.
Ukrainian authorities said Russian forces launched dozens of drones during the night, while Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed it intercepted 53 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory, the annexed Crimean Peninsula, and the Black Sea. Both sides offered conflicting accounts of the strikes, reflecting continued battlefield disputes.
In Crimea, Russia-installed officials said a Ukrainian drone attack on Dzhankoi killed five people. Ukrainian officials also reported Russian strikes across multiple regions, including a deadly attack on Sumy in northeastern Ukraine, where a kindergarten was hit. A security guard was killed and two others were injured, though no children were present.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said Russian strikes killed 27 civilians and injured about 120 people, highlighting the heavy civilian toll of the conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of ignoring the ceasefire and continuing widespread attacks. He said Moscow is rejecting peace efforts and urged stronger international pressure.
Zelenskyy added that Russian forces continued long-range strikes using drones and glide bombs while maintaining pressure along the front line. He stressed Ukraine’s willingness to pursue diplomacy but warned that ceasefire violations would trigger responses.
Russia denied fully observing the truce and accused Ukraine of launching drone attacks into Russian territory during the same period. It said its air defenses intercepted multiple drones over Crimea and other regions.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia ignored a ceasefire proposal backed by international partners and accused Moscow of repeatedly announcing short, symbolic pauses that fail to stop fighting.
He called for tougher sanctions, increased diplomatic isolation of Russia, and expanded military and humanitarian support for Ukraine, arguing that continued Russian strikes show no genuine commitment to peace. (AP)
