Drone strikes hit Ukraine despite US-backed ceasefire

Ukraine reported renewed Russian drone attacks and intense frontline fighting on Monday, even as a U.S.-brokered ceasefire remained officially in effect.

Kyiv and Moscow had agreed to a temporary ceasefire from May 9 to May 11 as part of a U.S.-led diplomatic effort to ease hostilities in the war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The initiative is tied to broader peace efforts under U.S. President Donald Trump, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Despite the truce window, Ukrainian military officials said Russian forces continued offensive operations across multiple sectors of the front line. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said over the weekend that while large-scale missile and air strikes had eased, ground assaults were still ongoing in several active combat zones.

Russia’s Defence Ministry, in turn, accused Ukraine of violating the ceasefire, claiming it intercepted dozens of Ukrainian drones and responded with battlefield actions. Independent verification of battlefield claims from both sides remains difficult.

Ukrainian regional authorities reported casualties across multiple areas. One person was killed and two injured in Zaporizhzhia, while Kherson officials reported two dead and two wounded. Additional injuries were reported in Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, and Donetsk regions amid continued shelling and drone activity.

Ukraine’s General Staff said there were 180 recorded clashes along the front over the past 24 hours, with Russian forces deploying more than 8,000 so-called “kamikaze” drones targeting both military positions and settlements.

The ceasefire, already showing signs of strain over the weekend, has been marked by mutual accusations of violations from both Kyiv and Moscow, casting doubt on its durability even during its short scheduled duration.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada