Russian war of aggression
Ukraine war: further attacks before announced ceasefire
Updated on May 5, 2026 – 2:47 p.mReading time: 3 minutes
Kiev is responding to Moscow’s announcement of a two-day ceasefire with its own push for an earlier ceasefire. Before the weapons are silenced, attacks have serious consequences.
Before a ceasefire announced by Moscow and Kiev with different beginnings, the attacks in the Ukraine war continue. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of cynicism in this regard. It was absolutely cynical to ask for a ceasefire for propaganda celebrations and to carry out such drone and missile attacks in the days before, he wrote on social media. Russia could stop the shelling at any time and that would end the war and Ukrainian counterattacks.
Zelensky’s criticism was triggered by serious Russian attacks on the Ukrainian region of Poltava. According to Governor Vitaly Diakivnych, four people were killed in an attack in the area surrounding the city of Poltava in central Ukraine. According to him, another 37 people were injured. Moscow’s military used missiles and drones. Russia attacked the impact site a second time, Ukrainian civil defense said. Two of those killed and more than 20 injured were emergency services.
According to the regional prosecutor’s office in the Kharkiv region, one person was killed and two were injured in an attack on an industrial company in the Izyum district. Authorities also reported injuries in the Chernihiv areas and around the capital Kyiv.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced a ceasefire for Friday and Saturday in the evening. Russia traditionally celebrates the Soviet Union’s victory in World War II over Nazi Germany on May 9th with, among other things, a military parade on Red Square.
A few hours later, Ukraine reacted surprisingly with its own move. “We are announcing a ceasefire starting at midnight (11 p.m. CEST) on the night of May 5th to 6th,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, if the Russian side does not comply, Kiev will react in the same way. He did not give a date for the end of the ceasefire.
Before the announced ceasefire began, Kiev once again attacked the Russian hinterland more intensively. According to regional authorities, three people were injured in Ukrainian drone attacks in the Russian city of Cheboksary on the Volga. One of the injured was taken to hospital, the Ministry of Health of the Chuvashia Republic said. The drones were therefore part of a second wave of attacks. According to reports from the Internet portal “Astra”, a cruise missile hit the “WNIIIR Progress” arms factory, where navigation modules for drones, cruise missiles and rockets are manufactured, in the first attack.
