Russia and Ukraine have exchanged accusations of violating a fragile US-brokered ceasefire, with Moscow alleging over 1,000 breaches by Kyiv and Ukrainian officials reporting one death and numerous injuries from Russian drone and artillery strikes.
Russia's Accusations
Russia's Ministry of Defense accused Ukraine of committing more than 1,000 ceasefire violations, according to state media citing a daily briefing on Sunday. The ministry claimed Ukrainian forces attacked civilian targets in several Russian regions and carried out strikes against Russian military positions on the frontline. Russia's military “responded in kind” to the violations, the ministry stated.
In the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine's Kherson region, Moscow-installed leader Vladimir Saldo said on Sunday that two people were injured by Ukrainian shelling.
Ukraine's Reports
Ukrainian officials reported that Russia launched attacks but stopped short of directly accusing Moscow of violating the US-brokered truce, which was confirmed by Donald Trump and came into force on Saturday. Ivan Fedorov, head of Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, said one person had been killed and three more injured by artillery and drone attacks in the past 24 hours. Oleksandr Prokudin, head of Ukraine's Kherson, reported seven people wounded over the same period. In Kharkiv, five people were injured when a Russian drone attack damaged a nine-storey apartment block, according to Oleh Syniehubov, head of the regional administration, late Saturday.
Background of the Ceasefire
US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to his request for a ceasefire from Saturday through Monday to mark Victory Day, the Russian celebration of the defeat of Nazi Germany. Trump also stated there would be a prisoner exchange, describing the break in fighting as potentially the “beginning of the end” of the war.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had previously suggested Russian authorities “fear drones may buzz over Red Square” during the May 9 parade in Moscow, followed up on Trump's statement by mockingly declaring Red Square temporarily off-limits for Ukrainian strikes to allow the Russian parade to proceed. The Kremlin dismissed the comment as a “silly joke.”
Ukraine’s air force said Sunday it had shot down or destroyed all 27 strike and decoy drones launched by Russia overnight.
