Zelenskyy says Russia ends partial ceasefire with 200-drone attack

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Russian forces launched more than 200 drones overnight to deliberately terminate a partial ceasefire, accusing Moscow of simultaneously dropping over 80 aerial bombs and conducting dozens of airstrikes across multiple regions. The Ukrainian leader stated on the US social media platform X that air defenses intercepted unmanned aerial vehicles over the Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions, as well as Kyiv and its surrounding areas.

He added that the strikes damaged energy infrastructure, apartment buildings and a kindergarten, while a civilian locomotive in the Dnipropetrovsk region also sustained damage. "People have been reported injured as a result of these strikes — and, unfortunately, there are fatalities," Zelenskyy said, expressing condolences to the victims' families while emphasizing that Russia must take decisive steps toward a genuine, lasting ceasefire.

Moscow reports downing drones

Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on Telegram that its air defense systems shot down 31 Ukrainian drones over the Belgorod, Volgograd, Voronezh and Rostov regions since midnight. Independent verification of either side’s claims remains difficult due to ongoing hostilities, while Zelenskyy warned that Kyiv would respond in kind to all Russian steps and called for stronger sanctions against Moscow until hostilities cease.

Three-day truce expires

The reported escalation follows the expiration of a three-day ceasefire proposed by US President Donald Trump, which lapsed at 2100 GMT on Monday after both sides accused each other of repeated violations. Trump announced Friday that Moscow and Kyiv had agreed to pause fighting from May 9-11 alongside a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange, describing the arrangement as a potential foundation for ending the war.