Russian attacks kill 27 in Ukraine before proposed rival ceasefires

Zelensky slams Russia’s ‘utter cynicism’ as strikes shatter ceasefire hopes and underscore war’s deepening impasse

Russian attacks throughout eastern Ukraine killed at least 27 people on Tuesday, including 12 in one of the worst strikes so far this year, hours before a midnight deadline ushering in an open-ended ceasefire proposed by Kyiv.

Russia announced a ceasefire for May 8 to 9 to coincide with commemorations of the Soviet Union’s ‌victory over Nazi Germany in World War II and a military parade in Moscow’s Red Square.

Ukraine, in response, announced a proposal for an open-ended ceasefire starting at midnight on Wednesday (2100 GMT), urging Russia to reciprocate. President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was not an option for Russia to halt strikes for one day for its military parade while having heavily pounded Ukraine.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, writing in English on X, said: “With mere hours until Ukraine’s ceasefire proposal comes into force, Russia shows no signs of preparing to end hostilities. On the contrary, Moscow intensifies terror”.

Within minutes of the deadline passing, Sergei Aksyonov, ⁠the Russia-appointed head of Crimea, annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014, wrote on Telegram that a Ukrainian drone attack had killed five civilians in the city of Dzhankoi.

It ‌appeared likely that the attack had taken place before the deadline expired and there was no evidence of any strikes taking place immediately after the Ukrainian ceasefire went into effect.