More than 20 people were reported killed in a new wave of strikes across Ukraine on Tuesday, May 5th ahead of separate ceasefire plans by announcedUkraine and Russia ahead of upcoming commemorations.
Regional authorities said 12 people died in an aerial strike in Zaporizhzhia, while additional fatalities were reported in Kramatorsk and Dnipro. Dozens of others were injured in overnight missile and drone attacks. Russian officials also reported casualties, saying two people were killed and more than 30 injured in a UAV strike in the Chuvash Republic.
The developments come as both sides put forward unilateral ceasefire proposals. Moscow said it would observe a truce on May 8th–9th, linked to Victory Day commemorations, while Kyiv announced an open-ended ceasefire starting from midnight on May 6th, stating it would act “symmetrically” depending on the other side’s actions.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky called for a move toward “real diplomacy,” while Russian officials warned of potential consequences if their proposed truce is not respected.
In April, Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered a provisional ceasefire during Orthodox Easter, which both sides said they would observe, with Kyiv warning it would respond immediately to any violations. That truce came shortly after a major prisoner exchange, but did not lead to a lasting halt in hostilities.Previously, Russia cut mobile internet access in the capital on Tuesday, May 5th—ahead of Victory Day commemorations.
