\n<\/p>\n
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned Russia’s “cynicism” for continuing to launch deadly attacks despite seeking a pause in hostilities.<\/p>\n
Russia, which is preparing to hold celebrations to mark victory in World War Two this weekend, said it would hold a ceasefire on 8 and 9 May and threatened a “massive missile strike” on central Kyiv if Ukraine violated the truce.<\/p>\n
But Kyiv said it would observe an open-ended ceasefire from midnight on 6 May, and that Ukraine would act “symmetrically” from that point on.<\/p>\n
As the warring sides were announcing the moves, five people were killed and dozens injured in combined missile and drone strikes across Ukraine overnight.<\/p>\n
“It’s utter cynicism to ask for silence to hold propaganda celebrations and to launch such missile-drone attacks every day beforehand,” Zelensky said.<\/p>\n
As the two ceasefires appear to be unilateral – meaning the two sides have not agreed on their terms, length or monitoring.<\/p>\n
“We have made our proposal,” Zelensky said, urging Russia to lay down arms “and move to real diplomacy”.<\/p>\n
Ukraine’s earlier, open-ended truce is likely a way for Zelensky to show that his country is willing to start an immediate and lasting ceasefire and that any violations will be pinned on Russia.<\/p>\n
“We believe that human life is of incomparably greater value than the ‘celebration’ of any anniversary,” he wrote on Telegram.<\/p>\n
Ahead of its own midnight ceasefire, Ukraine also launched a series of aerial attacks on Russia, hitting an industrial area in Kirishi in the Leningrad region and a factory that produces military components in Cheboksary, in Russia’s Chuvash Republic.<\/p>\n
Zelensky said domestically-produced Flamingo cruise missiles were used to strike the Cheboksary factory, some 1,500km (930 miles) away from the front line. An unverified nighttime video showed a fast-moving object and large explosion.<\/p>\n
The Russian defence ministry later confirmed it had downed six Ukrainian Flamingos as well as 601 drones.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday morning, all three of Moscow’s airports were temporarily shut. Later, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced that four drones had been downed near the capital.<\/p>\n
The Kremlin has betrayed signs of nervousness ahead of Victory Day.<\/p>\n
The 9 May celebrations, which mark the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany, have grown in scale and pomp since the start of Vladimir Putin’s rule in the early 2000s.<\/p>\n
But the Kremlin said that this year the centrepiece event – a grand military parade on Red Square – would be scaled down due to the “terrorist threat” from Ukraine, and that no heavy military hardware would be on display.<\/p>\n
Muscovites were also warned that mobile internet access would be disrupted or cut off for several days in the lead-up to 9 May.<\/p>\n
Zelensky said the fact Russia felt it couldn’t “hold a parade in Moscow without the goodwill of Ukraine” to observe a ceasefire meant that it was time for Russian leaders to “take steps to end their war”.<\/p>\n
Ukraine has in recent weeks stepped up deep-strike drone attacks on Russia, successfully targeting energy facilities and oil refineries and disrupting the Russian oil trade.<\/p>\n
Its drones can now fly deep into Russia, often eschewing air defences, and on Monday morning one hit a high-rise in central Moscow<\/a>.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Moscow’s strikes on Ukrainian cities continue to kill and maim civilians across the country. Thousands have died since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n