Translated with AI
On the night of May 6, a unilateral ceasefire proposed by Ukraine came into effect. The initiative was put forward by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as an alternative to the ceasefire announced by Russia for May 8–9. However, despite this, Russian troops continued to strike regions of Ukraine.
According to Ukrainian authorities, an industrial facility was attacked in the Zaporizhia region. This was reported by Ivan Fedorov, head of the local military administration. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, cruise missiles were used in the region. Launches of such munitions were also recorded in the Kharkiv, Sumy, and Donetsk regions. Furthermore, Russian drones were spotted in the Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
At the time of publication, Ukrainian authorities had not commented on the new strikes. Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that if attacks continued, Ukraine would respond in kind.
The ceasefire initiative was a response to the Russian authorities' announcement of a "truce in honor of Victory Day" on May 8 and 9. Russian President Vladimir Putin had decreed a unilateral ceasefire on these dates. The Russian Ministry of Defense also stated that attempts to disrupt the celebrations would result in a massive retaliatory missile strike on central Kyiv.
In response, Kyiv stated its willingness to cease fire earlier—from midnight on May 6—on the condition that Russia do the same. Zelenskyy emphasized that he considers human life more valuable than any celebratory events. On May 5, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Kyrylo Budanov, confirmed his willingness to observe the ceasefire on the condition that Russia ceases its strikes.
According to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, the idea of a temporary ceasefire during Victory Day celebrations was first voiced by Vladimir Putin in a conversation with US President Donald Trump. However, as Zelenskyy noted, Ukraine has not received any official notification from Russia of its intention to cease fire.
On the eve of the ceasefire, on May 5, Russian troops launched massive strikes across various regions of Ukraine. According to available reports, more than 20 people were killed as a result of the attacks in the cities of Dnipro, Zaporizhia, and Kramatorsk.
Meanwhile, the Russian-appointed head of annexed Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, reported that five civilians were killed in a Ukrainian Armed Forces strike on the city of Dzhankoy. The statement was published after midnight on May 6, while he reported the drone attack itself on the evening of May 5. The Ukrainian side has not commented on this information.
