While Moscow requests a ceasefire to stage a hardware-free Red Square event, 23 civilians die in intensified Russian missile and drone strikes across Ukraine
KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has condemned Moscow’s request for a temporary ceasefire as “utter cynicism,” arguing that the Kremlin seeks a lull in fighting solely to stage a Victory Day military parade while continuing daily attacks on Ukrainian soil.
The accusation follows a wave of Russian strikes that killed at least 23 people on Tuesday. In the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, a single strike claimed 12 lives, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov. Five more civilians died in an attack on the city center of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region. The violence also extended to the central Poltava region, where three employees of the state energy firm Naftogaz and two emergency responders were killed in a “double-tap” attack on a gas facility. The strikes left 37 people injured and cut gas supplies to nearly 3,500 residents in Poltava.
“Russia could cease fire at any moment, and this would stop the war and our responses,” Zelenskyy stated. He emphasized that Russia continues missile and drone attacks “every single day leading up to” the requested truce.
In response, President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral 24-hour ceasefire for Russia to mark the anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany on Friday. For the first time in nearly two decades, the traditional Red Square parade will proceed without military hardware, a decision driven by fears that Ukraine may target the event with long-range drones.
Zelenskyy countered with his own proposal, offering a reciprocal 24-hour ceasefire starting at midnight on Wednesday. He noted that Ukraine has acted reciprocally during previous temporary truces, but only when Russia halted hostilities.
“It is time for Russian leaders to take real steps to end their war,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media, adding that Russia’s own defense ministry appears to acknowledge the need for Ukraine’s cooperation to hold the parade safely.
The potential disruption of the ceremony poses a significant embarrassment for the Kremlin. Putin has long utilized the Victory Day parade to justify the 2022 invasion, framing both the war in Ukraine and historical conflicts as battles against fascism. In recent weeks, Ukraine has escalated long-range retaliatory strikes deep into Russian territory, targeting oil refineries, fighter jets, and military assets in the Urals, more than 1,000 miles from the frontline.
Russian defense officials claimed to have intercepted over 300 Ukrainian drones between late Monday and early Tuesday. Meanwhile, battlefield analysis suggests Russia’s ground offensive has stalled. According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russia lost more territory than it captured in April, marking the first such setback since the summer of 2023.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha characterized the killing of first responders in Poltava as a hallmark of “terrorist” tactics. “Only a terrorist state like Russia employs inhuman and criminal tactics like this,” Sybiha said.
As the deadline for the proposed truce approaches, the conflict remains deadlocked, with both sides preparing for a high-stakes period that could see the parade either proceed in peace or become the target of further Ukrainian strikes.
