Russia has violated the ceasefire: Zelenskyy has made an important statement regarding Ukraine’s next steps

The ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia has been broken: Moscow has cynically disregarded the ceasefire, launching brutal, large-scale attacks on peaceful Ukrainian towns. President Zelenskyy has officially declared that Moscow has rejected peace. Find out what decisions Kyiv will take and what lies ahead on the front line following this breach of the agreements

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The ceasefire, initiated by Ukraine as a mirror response to the truce proposed by Moscow, ended before it had even begun. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russian troops had completely violated the ceasefire, choosing instead to continue their terror campaign and active hostilities.

Shelling of Ukraine on 6 May: how Russia violated the ceasefire

On the night of 6 May, when the ceasefire proposed by Kyiv was due to begin, the Russian army launched brutal attacks on Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kramatorsk and other civilian communities. According to the head of state, by 10 am alone, a staggering number of violations had been recorded — 1,820 incidents.

Instead of a ceasefire, the enemy continued offensive operations across all key sections of the front, carrying out around thirty large-scale assaults. The escalation was accompanied by the massive use of aircraft and drones: overnight and during the morning alone, the occupiers carried out more than twenty air strikes, dropping over seventy guided bombs. Ukrainian defence forces also had to repel a massive UAV attack, during which around ninety strike drones of various types were neutralised.

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Will there be no ceasefire on 9 May?

The Ukrainian side had clearly warned that it would respond in kind. Kyiv was prepared to ensure a ceasefire against the backdrop of persistent requests from the Russian Federation on the eve of their military parade. However, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasised, a full-scale war and the daily killing of civilians mean this is no time for public celebrations. Through its massive strikes, Russia has openly demonstrated that human life means nothing to it.

The President reminded that the Russian leadership has all of Ukraine’s diplomatic proposals on the table. To end the conflict, Moscow need only demonstrate a genuine willingness to make peace. According to Zelenskyy, even under conditions of total censorship, it is clear to most Russians that their authorities must emerge from their bunker and halt the aggression.

Ukraine’s response

Following this morning’s missile and drone attacks, Kyiv has officially declared that the Russian side has violated the ceasefire. The defence forces continue to hold their positions firmly and are repelling the enemy with force.

As for global decisions and the response to Moscow’s broken promises, Ukraine will determine its next course of action in the coming hours. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that final decisions will be made following evening briefings from the military command and intelligence representatives. It can be assumed that there is no longer any question of concessions to the Russian army during the May holidays.

It is worth noting that the Russian Ministry of Defence initially announced a ceasefire only for 8 and 9 May. Later, Ukraine took the initiative and announced the start of a ceasefire from 00:00 on the night of 5 to 6 May. However, there was no reaction from Moscow.

The Kremlin is seriously concerned about attacks by Ukrainian drones, so it attempted to unilaterally establish a short-term ceasefire. Moreover, the aggressor country’s Ministry of Defence officially threatened to launch a massive missile strike on the centre of Kyiv if the parade in Moscow were to be at risk of being disrupted.

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Reminder! Today, Ukraine is celebrating Ukrainian Armed Forces Infantry Day. It is the infantry who are the first to enter battle, hold their positions and liberate Ukrainian territories. Find out more about the significance of this holiday, the role of the infantry in the war and how Ukrainians can support the military.

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