Russia Claims Ukraine Violated Ceasefire

(MENAFN) Russia on Friday accused Ukraine of openly disregarding a Moscow-declared Victory Day ceasefire — as well as a reported two-day extension brokered by US President Donald Trump — alleging that continued Ukrainian attacks throughout the May 8–11 "pseudo-truce" left 25 Russians dead and 209 wounded.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova charged that Kyiv "failed to observe" the truce proclaimed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to commemorate the 81st anniversary of the Soviet Union's triumph in World War II.

Trump announced on May 8 that both sides had agreed to a ceasefire spanning May 9–11, alongside a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner swap, framing the development as a potential opening toward ending the war.

With the truce period now elapsed, Russia declared that its forces had resumed what it terms the "special military operation" across Ukraine.

Zakharova alleged that Ukrainian forces committed 30,383 ceasefire violations over the four-day window, citing figures from Russia's Defense Ministry.

"For their part, the Russian Armed Forces strictly observed the ceasefire on the battlefield; all strikes on enemy positions, command posts, and UAV launch sites were retaliatory, reciprocal," she said in a formal statement.

Russia had originally announced the unilateral truce on May 4, cautioning that any disruption to Victory Day commemorations would trigger a "massive" missile response. Kyiv subsequently indicated it would honor a ceasefire beginning at midnight on May 6.

Ukraine has yet to issue any response to Moscow's allegations.

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