Ukraine's cities quiet as Kremlin-sponsored ceasefire kicks in

KYIV: Ukraine's major cities enjoyed a quiet night after a three-day ceasefire declared by Russia came into effect on Thursday (May 8) after a spate of drone and missile attacks, but prosecutors said a woman had been killed by Russian aerial bombs in the north.

A Ukrainian military spokesman said Russia had continued assaults in several areas on the eastern front and prosecutors said two people had been wounded along with the 55-year-old woman killed by bombs fired at the northern Sumy region.

Reuters could not independently verify the attacks. No Russian missiles or drones were recorded in Ukraine's airspace as of 8am local time after the Kremlin-sponsored ceasefire kicked in at midnight, the air force said.

The Russian ceasefire falls on the 80th anniversary of the World War II defeat of Nazi Germany, for which Russian President Vladimir Putin is hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders for a military parade on Red Square on May 9.

Ukraine, like the West, marks the anniversary on May 8.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marked the day by taking a rare walk in central Kyiv to pay his respects to fallen Ukrainian soldiers at a vast mound of Ukrainian flags planted on a grassy verge on the central square.

There was no sign of his security detail in the selfie video he filmed as he passed pedestrians on the city's main drag, at one point pausing to say "hi" as cars tooted their horns and deriding Friday's planned pomp-filled ceremony in Moscow.

"There will be a parade of cynicism. You simply cannot call it anything else. A parade of bile and lies. As if not dozens of allied states, but Putin personally defeated Nazism," he said.

Ukraine has not committed to abide by the ceasefire, calling it a ruse by Putin to create the impression he wants to end the war, which began when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Putin says he is committed to achieving peace.

Ukraine launched successive drone attacks on Moscow this week, which had forced the closure of airports in the Russian capital and the grounding of airliners.

Ukraine's general staff said in its readout on the state of play that there had been 139 clashes on the entire front line as of 10pm Ukrainian time on Wednesday and 196 for the last day as of 8am on Thursday.

Reuters witnesses near the front in eastern Ukraine said on Thursday that they heard around eight rounds of outgoing fire and distant sounds of impacts. In their sector, a small Russian raiding party had tried to advance, but been stopped by Ukrainian drones, they said.

Overall, the level of activity was well below normal for that part of the front.

"During the current day, May 8, as of 8am, no missile strikes or use of strike UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) were recorded in Ukrainian airspace," the air force said on Telegram.

UKRAINE WANTS LONGER, 30-DAY CEASEFIRE

Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that his country stood by its offer to observe a 30-day ceasefire in the war with Russia to give diplomacy a chance but that Russia had not responded.

"This clearly and obviously demonstrates to everyone who the source of the war is," he said in his nightly video address.

Zelenskyy's top aide said Ukraine had held online talks with US, French, British and German senior officials and discussed ways to pressure Russia into agreeing to a 30-day ceasefire. He did not say when the talks took place.

In his evening remarks, Zelenskyy appeared to acknowledge the numerous drone attacks that have been targeting Russian sites, including the city of Moscow, as the World War II commemorations approached.

"It is absolutely fair that Russian skies, the skies of the aggressor, are also not calm today, in a mirror-like way," he said.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin had said before the Russian ceasefire took effect that 14 Ukrainian drones headed for the capital had been repelled or destroyed. There were no reports from Russia on any Ukrainian attacks on Thursday.

The US proposed the 30-day ceasefire in March and Ukraine agreed. Russia has said such a measure could only be introduced after mechanisms to enforce and uphold it are put in place.

Both countries are under pressure from US President Donald Trump to bring a swift end to the war, the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed surprise at remarks from US envoy Keith Kellogg that Putin may be obstructing a comprehensive ceasefire.

"The only obstacle to the ceasefire is Kyiv, which violates agreements and is unwilling to seriously discuss the terms of a long-term ceasefire," Zakharova said.