In a dramatic escalation, Russia and Ukraine have escalated military confrontations, launching strikes just before a proposed cease-fire to commemorate World War II. Ukrainian President Zelensky dismisses the truce as insufficient, while both sides face civilian casualties amid the chaos.
Escalating Tensions: Russia and Ukraine Engage in Strikes Ahead of Proposed Cease-fire
Escalating Tensions: Russia and Ukraine Engage in Strikes Ahead of Proposed Cease-fire
As Moscow prepares for a Victory Day parade, both nations intensify their attacks, complicating prospects for peace talks.
Russia and Ukraine continued their crossfire on Wednesday, just one day prior to a Russian-proposed three-day cease-fire meant to honor the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. A strike in Kyiv resulted in two fatalities and an additional eight injuries, including four children, amid an atmosphere of rising tension. The cease-fire was scheduled to begin at midnight, ahead of a significant Victory Day parade in Moscow on Friday, which is expected to be attended by various foreign dignitaries, including China's President Xi Jinping.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the cease-fire proposal, criticizing its duration as inadequate for meaningful discussions aimed at concluding the conflict. He suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin's invitation of a truce was merely a means to create a more tranquil environment for attendees of the parade. Ukraine, in stark contrast, is open to a cease-fire extension of 30 days to facilitate negotiations.
On the same day, Kyiv experienced a drone and missile assault that followed a Ukrainian drone strike on Moscow, which had reportedly caused damage to a building and temporarily closed airports servicing the Russian capital. Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that seven Ukrainian drones were intercepted by air defense forces on Wednesday. Meanwhile, as warnings of impending Russian ballistic missiles loomed over Kyiv, the air defense teams engaged in counter-fire throughout the city, leading to explosions around 1 a.m.
The aftermath saw debris damaging infrastructure, including an office building and a high-rise under construction, while civilians reported fires in multiple neighborhoods. The two victims were discovered in an apartment building that was engulfed in flames, with children among the eight reported injuries from burns. In other parts of Ukraine, local authorities in Zaporizhzhia documented fires and destruction resulting from various drone attacks. In a retaliatory response, the governors of nearby regions in Russia also reported drone strikes targeting their territories overnight.
Andrew E. Kramer is The Times’ Kyiv bureau chief, covering the ongoing conflict in Ukraine since 2014.
