Russian attacks killed more than 20 people across Ukraine on Tuesday, hours before Kyiv’s proposed ceasefire was due to begin and two days before a separate Moscow-declared truce for Russia’s Victory Day commemorations.
Russian attacks killed more than 20 people across Ukraine on Tuesday, as Kyiv and Moscow prepared for rival unilateral ceasefires that have not been jointly agreed and remain without any common monitoring mechanism.
The latest wave of strikes hit several Ukrainian cities and regions. In Zaporizhzhia, local officials said 12 people were killed in a Russian aerial attack, while further deaths were reported in Kramatorsk and Dnipro. According to Reuters, at least 25 people were killed across Ukraine on Tuesday.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the strikes as a cynical attack and said Moscow was continuing missile and drone assaults while seeking a temporary pause in hostilities around symbolic events in Russia. He said Ukraine was ready for an immediate ceasefire, but would respond “symmetrically” if Russia continued its attacks.
Moscow has announced a unilateral ceasefire for 8 and 9 May, coinciding with commemorations of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. Russian officials said the pause was intended to mark Victory Day, while also warning of retaliation if Ukraine attacked during the period. Russia’s Defence Ministry said it expected Ukraine to observe the ceasefire and warned of a retaliatory strike if celebrations were disrupted.
Kyiv, however, announced its own unilateral ceasefire beginning at midnight on 6 May. Ukrainian officials said the ceasefire would remain in place if reciprocated by Russia. The two proposals remain unilateral, meaning that neither side has accepted the other’s terms, duration or conditions.
The competing ceasefire announcements underline the limited trust between the two governments. Ukraine has argued that Russia’s proposal is designed to protect Victory Day events in Moscow rather than to create conditions for a broader halt in fighting. Russia has accused Ukraine of preparing attacks aimed at disrupting the commemorations.
The Kremlin has shown signs of concern ahead of the 9 May parade. Russian authorities have scaled back the Red Square military display, citing security threats, and warned residents in Moscow that mobile internet access may be disrupted in the days around the event. EU Today previously reported that this year’s parade would take place under tighter security after Ukrainian drones demonstrated an ability to reach the Russian capital in its coverage of the scaled-back Victory Day parade.
Ukraine has increased long-range strikes against targets inside Russia in recent weeks, particularly military-industrial and energy infrastructure. On Tuesday, Russian officials in the Chuvash Republic said two people were killed and 32 injured in a Ukrainian drone attack. Ukrainian sources said the strike targeted a facility in Cheboksary producing military components, while other attacks were reported against industrial sites, including in the Leningrad region.
President Zelenskyy said Ukrainian-made Flamingo cruise missiles had been used in the Cheboksary strike. Defence Matters reported on the claimed use of Flamingo missiles against the Cheboksary plant, noting that Russia had acknowledged damage and casualties in the area but had not confirmed Ukraine’s account of the weapon used.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said it had downed six Flamingo missiles and more than 600 drones. Several Russian airports were temporarily closed on Tuesday morning, while Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defences had intercepted drones near the capital.
The latest exchanges come as both sides attempt to shape the diplomatic narrative around a possible ceasefire. Kyiv has sought to present itself as ready for an immediate and open-ended halt to hostilities, while insisting that any pause must apply equally to both sides. Moscow’s shorter truce is tied directly to Victory Day, an event central to President Vladimir Putin’s domestic political messaging.
The strikes also show that neither side has suspended military operations in advance of the proposed pauses. Russian attacks continue to hit Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, while Ukraine’s drone and missile campaign has increasingly reached deep into Russian territory.
The wider context remains unchanged. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian cities have faced repeated missile, drone and bomb attacks. At the same time, Ukraine has gradually expanded its domestic long-range strike capability, using drones and missiles to target logistics, refineries, ports and defence-related factories inside Russia.
For now, the rival ceasefire proposals remain political declarations rather than a negotiated arrangement. Without agreed terms, verification, or a mechanism for dealing with alleged violations, both sides are likely to blame the other for any continuation of hostilities.
