Asger Risom
Russia launched missiles, guided bombs and more than 100 drones across Ukraine overnight as doubts deepened over the Kremlin’s proposed Victory Day truce, with Kyiv accusing Moscow of continuing attacks while publicly calling for a ceasefire.
Russia launched drones, missiles and guided bomb attacks across Ukraine just minutes after a proposed ceasefire was meant to begin, with explosions reported overnight in several regions and civilians wounded in renewed strikes.
Kyiv says the attacks raise fresh doubts over Moscow’s calls for a temporary truce ahead of Russia’s May 9 Victory Day celebrations, one of the Kremlin’s most symbolic annual events.
Overnight attacks
According to the Ukrainian Air Force on Telegram, Russian drones were still flying toward Ukrainian cities shortly after midnight, when the proposed “silence regime” was supposed to take effect.
Explosions were first reported in Dnipro, before drone activity spread to the Kharkiv region. By early morning, Russia had launched guided aerial bombs against targets in the Sumy, Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, followed by further strikes in Zaporizhzhia.
Kharkiv was targeted again after 6 a.m., while additional drones were tracked near Kryvyi Rih and approaching the Odesa region from the Black Sea.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said strikes hit the Novobavarskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts, damaging homes and sparking fires after a private residence was struck. Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said at least two people were injured.
In Zaporizhzhia, regional officials said an industrial facility was hit overnight. Authorities added that dozens of civilians wounded in previous Russian strikes on the city remain hospitalized, with several in critical condition.
Missiles and drones
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles, a Kh-31 guided missile and 108 drones during the latest wave of attacks.
The barrage included Shahed drones, Gerbera and Italmas strike UAVs, as well as decoy drones designed to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.
Ukrainian forces said air defense units, aviation, electronic warfare systems and mobile fire groups managed to shoot down or suppress 89 drones overnight.
Even so, officials confirmed impacts from missiles and strike drones across multiple locations, with debris from intercepted UAVs falling in additional areas.
Truce under scrutiny
The renewed attacks came as Moscow promoted a short ceasefire proposal linked to Russia’s Victory Day commemorations on May 8-9 following talks between Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump.
Ukraine instead pushed for an earlier and longer truce beginning May 5-6, arguing that temporary pauses tied to symbolic events would do little to halt the fighting.
President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of “utter cynicism” after Russian strikes killed at least 22 people across Ukraine on Tuesday, including attacks on Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro and Kramatorsk.
“It is essential that Russia is forced to end this war,” Zelensky said, calling for a sustained ceasefire rather than what Kyiv sees as a brief political gesture ahead of Russia’s Victory Day parade.
Sources: Kyiv Post, Ukrainian Air Force, Ukrinform
