Russia accuses Ukraine of violating the ceasefire

War against Ukraine

Russia accuses Ukraine of violating the ceasefire

The ceasefire brokered by US President Trump in the Russian war against Ukraine enabled a trouble-free military parade in Moscow. But now there are reports of violations.

The Russian Defense Ministry has accused Ukraine of violating the ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump. Despite the agreement, the Ukrainian armed forces attacked Russian positions and civilian objects with drones and artillery, the ministry told the Russian news agency Interfax. Those affected included the regions of Kaluga, Tula, Smolensk, Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod, as well as the Chechen Republic and the Stavropol and Krasnodar regions in the south.

There was initially no confirmation of this from the Ukrainian side. However, after the ceasefire began, the Ukrainian General Staff also complained about attacks from the Russian side, especially in the contested regions in Donbass. There was talk of 45 attacks by early morning.

The Russian Defense Ministry also reported fighting; Ukraine therefore undertook twelve attacks. The ministry in Moscow emphasized that the Russian side had responded to attacks by Ukrainian drone troops and artillery and was otherwise not using drones, rockets or artillery.

The information provided by the warring parties cannot be independently verified. Kiev and Moscow have repeatedly accused each other of massive violations in all previous ceasefires in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, which has been going on for more than four years.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the ceasefire had stopped for Moscow’s military parade. Contrary to what was feared, there were therefore no attempts from the Ukrainian side to disrupt the celebrations for May 9th – the day of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany. Following US mediation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj announced on Friday that he would not attack the military parade on Red Square.

Yuri Ushakov, foreign policy adviser to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, said contacts with the Americans had recently intensified in light of Kiev’s threats to disrupt the parade. Ushakov confirmed that the ceasefire brokered by Trump should last until May 11th.