Ukraine has expressed strong criticism of Russia’s actions along the front line, labeling President Vladimir Putin’s unilateral order for a three-day truce—set to commence this morning—as a “farce.”
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The Russian military claimed it was responding to Ukrainian attacks while also observing the truce, which coincided with a major parade in Moscow celebrating World War II Victory Day. “Predictably, Putin’s ‘parade ceasefire’ proves to be a farce,” stated Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga.
He further noted, “Russian forces continue to attack across the entire front line. From midnight to midday, Russia carried out 734 ceasefire violations and 63 assault operations.”
While Ukraine did not agree to the truce, Russia accused Ukraine of violating it. “The Russian Armed Forces are strictly observing the ceasefire, which includes no strikes by aircraft, missile forces, artillery, or unmanned aerial vehicles,” the Russian defense ministry asserted in a briefing. However, they also claimed that Ukrainian units had not ceased hostilities.
Reports from Ukraine’s air force indicated guided bomb strikes on the northern region of Sumy. “No missile attacks or attack drones were recorded in Ukrainian airspace. However, during the night, the enemy intensified tactical aviation strikes using guided aerial bombs in the Sumy region,” they reported.
Moreover, earlier today, Russian forces struck a residential area near Bilopillya, situated near the border between Sumy and Russia’s Kursk region, according to Ukraine’s emergency services.
Putin’s three-day truce was timed to coincide with Victory Day celebrations, during which global leaders—including China’s Xi Jinping and Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva—gathered in Russia.
Despite U.S. efforts to mediate the situation since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, hostilities between the two nations continue unabated. Just hours before the truce was set to be enacted, both countries engaged in aerial attacks, prompting airport closures in Russia and resulting in casualties in Ukraine.
The Kremlin has maintained that Russian forces would honor the truce throughout the holiday but would respond “immediately” to any Ukrainian fire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his call for a 30-day ceasefire during his evening address. “We are not withdrawing this proposal, which could give diplomacy a chance. But the world is not seeing any response from Russia,” he remarked.
Initially announced as a “humanitarian” gesture by Putin, the truce has not garnered agreement from Ukraine, which remains skeptical of Russia’s compliance due to previous violations during earlier ceasefires.
Ukraine stated they suspected that Russia would not uphold this truce and highlighted that, during a previous, shorter ceasefire, Russia had committed hundreds of violations. Since launching a full-scale offensive against Ukraine in 2022, Russia has unleashed a barrage of drone and missile attacks, leading to tragic casualties, including a mother and her son.
The White House has grown increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress towards a peace agreement, prompting discussions about direct negotiations. “We believe it’s probably impossible for us to mediate this entirely without at least some direct negotiation between the two,” said U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
Victory Day festivities will feature a grand parade in Red Square, where President Putin is scheduled to address the crowd. More than 20 world leaders are expected to attend the celebrations. “Our military and special services are taking all necessary measures to ensure that the celebration of the great victory takes place in a calm, stable, and peaceful atmosphere,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated.
However, Peskov noted that authorities have also taken measures to jam internet connections in anticipation of potential threats from Ukraine. “We need to consider the dangerous neighborhood we have,” he added.
Despite the tense atmosphere, visitors to Moscow from other regions of Russia appeared unperturbed. “We are from Rostov-on-Don. Nothing scares us,” said 22-year-old student Valeria Pavlova. “It’s much calmer here,” she added, although reports indicated significant chaos at airports due to flight disruptions caused by drone attacks.
In summary, Ukraine launched a series of drone strikes earlier in the day, which led to a halt in airport operations, affecting approximately 60,000 travelers. Video evidence depicted substantial crowds at airports, with many passengers forced to sleep on the floor as they awaited updates on their flights.
As the situation unfolds, the hope for a peaceful resolution seems overshadowed by ongoing tensions and conflicting narratives from both nations.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
