Overview
- Kyiv’s open-ended ceasefire, which began at 00:00 Wednesday local time, was followed by fresh Russian drone and missile alerts that Ukrainian officials said showed immediate violations.
- Following Tuesday’s nationwide strikes that officials called some of the year’s deadliest, Ukraine reported at least 27 people killed and about 120 wounded across cities including Zaporizhzhia, Kramatorsk, and Dnipro.
- Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 108 attack drones and several missiles overnight, with defenses downing many but not all, and local authorities reported new damage in Sumy, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia.
- President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine would respond in kind if attacks continued and later cited 1,820 Russian violations by 10:00, including shelling, assault attempts, airstrikes, and drone use.
- Russia announced its own May 8–9 pause for Victory Day events and accused Ukraine of cross-border drone attacks, including a strike in Dzhankoi, Crimea that Moscow-installed officials said killed five, underscoring a pattern of short holiday truces that swiftly collapse and extend civilian risk.