Both sides claim casualties from drone and artillery strikes during a U.S.-brokered three-day truce announced by President Trump.
12:43 PM
Russia and Ukraine swapped accusations of breaking a U.S.-brokered ceasefire on Sunday, with both sides reporting casualties from drone and artillery strikes over the preceding 24 hours.
President Trump announced Friday that Russia and Ukraine would exchange 1,000 prisoners as part of a three-day ceasefire. The truce coincided with Russia's observation of Victory Day over the weekend, marking the 81st anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany during World War II.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an evening statement Sunday that Russia was neither observing the truce nor "even particularly trying to," adding there had been no calm in front line areas despite a lull in large-scale attacks. Zelenskyy pledged that Ukraine would retaliate to any aggression shown by Moscow.
"Yesterday and today, Ukraine refrained from long-range retaliatory actions in response to the absence of large-scale Russian attacks," Zelenskyy said, stressing Ukraine's increasing ability to hit targets far inside Russia. "We will continue to respond in the same mirrorlike manner," he added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the U.S.-brokered ceasefire had emerged following discussions with the United States. The Russian Ministry of Defense had previously issued a statement about the possibility of retaliatory attacks on Kyiv. During discussions, Moscow warned about potential security risks linked to diplomatic missions in Kyiv and asked Washington to help ensure the safety of its embassy.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine agreed to halt military operations May 9-11, coinciding with Victory Day commemorations, and exchange 1,000 prisoners each.
President Zelenskyy announced a unilateral ceasefire starting May 6, saying no official Russian proposal had been received, after Moscow offered a two-day pause for WWII anniversary.
Russian forces conducted nearly 100 attacks across three days on Ukrainian region, targeting civilian infrastructure and residential areas.
President Trump extended a temporary truce with Iran pending submission of a unified proposal, while keeping U.S. military blockade in place.
President Zelensky says Ukrainian long-range strikes have reached Perm, Chelyabinsk, and Yekaterinburg, targeting Russia's military-industrial complex.
