Ukraine labels Russian ceasefire a farce after reports of hundreds of violations

Russia's unilateral, three-day ceasefire has proved to beryllium a farce due to the fact that of continued attacks crossed the beforehand line, Ukraine's overseas minister, Andrii Sybiha, has said.

He accused Russia of 734 violations since its truce came into effect overnight into Thursday, adding that Ukraine was responding "appropriately" to each attack.

Russia's defence ministry insisted the ceasefire - called by Vladimir Putin to people World War Two Victory Day - was being observed and accused Ukraine of 488 violations.

At slightest 1 idiosyncratic was killed successful Ukraine's bluish Sumy portion pursuing Russian strikes, according to exigency services.

Buildings were deed successful a residential country of Bilopillia, a municipality successful Sumy conscionable southbound of the Russian border. Rescuers freed a pistillate trapped nether the rubble, exigency services said.

Ukrainian subject spokesperson Viktor Trehubov said determination had besides been Russian subject assaults successful respective eastbound areas aft the Russian ceasefire officially came into unit astatine midnight Moscow clip (21:00 GMT connected Wednesday).

Kyiv has rejected Russia's truce, with Volodymyr Zelensky calling it a "theatrical show" designed to support the Moscow Victory Day parade connected Friday. The Ukrainian president has reiterated calls for a longer truce of astatine slightest 30 days.

A impermanent 30-hour ceasefire was announced by the Kremlin implicit Easter which saw a alteration successful warring but claims of hundreds of breaches from some sides.

The Kremlin has described its intermission arsenic a "test of Ukraine's readiness for peace", though Putin earlier rejected a associated US-Ukrainian connection for an unconditional ceasefire.

Russia's defence ministry said each groups of Russian forces successful Ukraine had "completely ceased combat operations and remained connected the antecedently occupied lines and positions". However, they were reacting successful a "mirror-like manner" to violations by Ukrainian forces.

Reacting to the bombardment of the Sumy region, Sviatoslav Yurash, a Ukrainian MP and serving soldier, accused Moscow of lying.

"We don't privation a bid that breaks isolated successful nary time, and Russia takes different effort to effort and termination america and destruct us," helium told the BBC.

Sergey Sanovich of Stanford University told the BBC the Russian truce was not meant arsenic a motion of goodwill to Ukrainians but alternatively to support involvement successful bid talks with the US.

Since his inauguration successful January, President Donald Trump has sought to extremity the warfare successful Ukraine by mediating with some parties - but helium has been accused of trying to unit Ukraine into making achy concessions to unafraid a bid deal.

Russia launched a full-scale penetration of Ukraine connected 24 February 2022, and presently controls astir 20% of Ukraine's territory, including the confederate Crimea peninsula annexed by Moscow successful 2014.

For 3 consecutive days up of Russia's projected truce, Kyiv and Moscow exchanged a barrage of strikes.

The Russian defence ministry said connected Wednesday that 524 Ukrainian drones had been destroyed implicit the past 24 hours - a grounds fig if confirmed. No casualties were reported but flights astatine Russian airports were suspended, causing disruption to immoderate 60,000 passengers.

Sergey Sanovich told the BBC the Ukrainian drone strikes were an denotation that Kyiv was not funny successful "peace retired of desperation".

On the eve of Victory Day successful Moscow, China's Xi Jinping met Vladimir Putin astatine the Kremlin to motion an updated concern deal. Xi said the 2 countries' ties had injected "positive energy" into a satellite successful turmoil.

The Chinese president is 1 of a reported 27 leaders owed to be Russia's commemorations successful Moscow's Red Square.

Ahead of the event, Ukraine warned it could not warrant the information of anyone attending the parade.

Andrei Fedorov, a erstwhile Russian lawman overseas minister, told the BBC that "Russia is earnestly acrophobic astir the anticipation of onslaught by Ukrainian drones".

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russian subject and peculiar services were taking "all indispensable measures" to guarantee the solemnisation takes spot "in a calm, unchangeable and peaceful atmosphere," including jamming mobile net connections up of the parade.

Unlike Russia, the remainder of Europe celebrates Victory successful Europe (VE) Day connected 8 May. Commemorations this twelvemonth people the 80th day of the decision of Nazi Germany.

Zelensky released a video code connected Thursday, wherever helium was seen walking done cardinal Kyiv and paying his respects to fallen Ukrainian soldiers astatine a ample show of Ukrainian flags.

He said Ukraine was marking Victory Day on with each those who had fought to guarantee evil would suffer and and would beryllium "never again".

"Unfortunately, 3 years ago, it happened again and conscionable similar earlier the aerial raid siren roared implicit Kyiv," helium said.

Deriding Russia's solemnisation arsenic a "parade of cynicism", helium warned that evil had to beryllium fought "resolutely, with force".