Russian attacks on northeastern Ukraine killed at least one person as the country’s air force issued several alerts for missile and bomb attacks, despite a unilateral ceasefire ordered by President Vladimir Putin.
“In the Sumy district, nighttime shelling sparked fires in three residential buildings. Firefighters worked from night through early morning to contain the blazes. Sadly, one civilian was killed in the attack,” Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said in a statement.
In the village of Bilopillya, near the Russian border, a woman trapped under rubble was rescued following overnight airstrikes, emergency officials added.
Putin’s 72-hour truce, declared to coincide with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations this week, has been dismissed as political theater by Ukrainian officials, who instead called for a 30-day ceasefire initially proposed by the United States in March.
Ukraine’s Air Force initially reported no missile or drone activity as of 8:00 a.m. local time Thursday, but said Russia had “intensified tactical airstrikes using guided aerial bombs” on Sumy overnight. Shortly after, the air force issued several air raid alerts for rocket and bomb attacks.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that all of its troops “completely ceased combat operations and remained at their previously occupied lines and positions,” while also accusing Ukrainian forces of violating the ceasefire and trying to cross the border into Russia.
“Along the entire front line, Ukrainian units carried out 173 shelling attacks,” the Defense Ministry said. “A total of 488 violations of the ceasefire regime have been recorded.”
“The deliberate destructive actions of the Ukrainian side toward Russia confirm the Kiev regime’s intention to prevent a peaceful resolution of the conflict,” it added, warning that its forces “will respond in kind to violations.”
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha later on Thursday called the Kremlin’s ceasefire a “farce,” saying that the Ukrainian army was responding to violations of the unilateral truce and would share information about the attacks with Kyiv’s allies.
“According to our military data, despite Putin’s statements, Russian forces continue to attack across the entire front line. From midnight to midday, Russia committed 734 ceasefire violations,” Sybiha wrote on X.
“We will not let Putin fool anyone when he does not even keep his own word,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian news outlet Suspilne, citing multiple Ukrainian military units, reported that Kyiv had ordered its forces to return fire only if attacked during the May 8-10 ceasefire.
Suspilne reported that similar orders were given during last month’s Easter ceasefire, which was also announced unilaterally by Russia.
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