Ukraine has accused Russia of launching fresh attacks just hours before a unilateral ceasefire announced by Kyiv was due to take effect, raising doubts over prospects for a temporary halt in hostilities.
The ceasefire, scheduled to begin early Wednesday, comes amid escalating violence that Ukrainian officials say has left at least 28 people dead across multiple regions.
Ukraine’s Interior Minister, Igor Klymenko, said late Tuesday that Russian strikes had hit several areas, including Poltava, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Odesa, Chernigiv, and Sumy.
“As of now, 27 people have been killed and at least 120 injured as a result of today’s Russian strikes across the country,” Klymenko said, before an additional fatality was later reported in the eastern city of Kramatorsk, Ukraine.
Ukrainian authorities said infrastructure in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine was targeted in the early hours of Wednesday, shortly after the ceasefire was expected to begin.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks, accusing Moscow of “utter cynicism” for continuing strikes while advocating for a pause in fighting.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiga, also criticized Russia, stating that the continued assaults showed “no signs of preparing to end hostilities,” but rather an intensification of violence.
Among the deadliest incidents was a strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine that killed 12 people, which Zelensky said had “absolutely no military justification.” In Kramatorsk, at least six civilians were killed after missiles struck the city centre, according to local military administration head Oleksandr Goncharenko.
Additional fatalities were reported in Dnipro, Ukraine, where four civilians were killed, while Ukrainian officials said Russian attacks also affected several other cities.
Meanwhile, authorities in Crimea—annexed by Russia in 2014—reported that Ukrainian drone strikes had killed five civilians, underscoring the continued exchange of hostilities on both sides.
The escalation comes as both Moscow and Kyiv have proposed separate unilateral ceasefires tied to different timelines, with Russia seeking a pause around its May 9 Victory Day commemorations.
Diplomatic efforts remain limited, though Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, held a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday. According to the US State Department, the discussion covered bilateral relations, the Ukraine conflict, and other geopolitical issues, though no details of potential breakthroughs were disclosed.
With violence continuing despite ceasefire announcements, uncertainty remains over whether any meaningful de-escalation can be achieved in the coming days.
