Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused the Kremlin of “utter cynicism” for seeking a truce to stage a military parade in Moscow, as 23 people were killed in attacks on Ukraine. At least 12 people died in a strike on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, regional governor Ivan Fedorov confirmed. Five more were killed in a Russian attack on Kramatorsk in Donetsk, which Zelenskyy said “hit right in the city centre, targeting civilians”.
Overnight, three employees of state energy firm Naftogaz were killed in an initial attack on a gas facility in the central Poltava region, and two emergency service workers died in a follow-on bombing. Thirty-seven people were injured in the strikes. Russia fired 11 ballistic missiles and 164 drones across the country, officials said.
Zelenskyy said: “It is utter cynicism to ask for a ceasefire in order to hold propaganda celebrations while carrying out missile and drone strikes every single day leading up to it. Russia could cease fire at any moment, and this would stop the war and our responses.” He has offered a 24-hour ceasefire from midnight on Wednesday, saying Ukraine would “act reciprocally” if Russia stopped firing.
Vladimir Putin has announced a unilateral ceasefire around Friday’s anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany. For the first time in almost 20 years, the Red Square parade will take place without military hardware, amid fears Ukraine will target the event with long-range drones. Ukraine has intensified long-range strikes on Russian oil refineries, terminals and fighter jets in recent weeks.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the Poltava attack: “Two of the killed were first responders, killed in a vile double-tap strike targeting those who arrived to help people at the scene of the attack. Only a terrorist state like Russia employs inhuman and criminal tactics like these.”
