Russian attacks kill more than 20 ahead of rival ceasefires proposed by Kyiv and Moscow

Kyiv said it would begin a truce on 6 May and then "act symmetrically" after Moscow declared a pause for its Victory Day parade. Russian attacks kill more than 20 ahead of rival ceasefires proposed by Kyiv and Moscow Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Overnight combined missile and drone strikes killed five and injured dozens across Ukraine Russian attacks killed more than 20 people across Ukraine on Tuesday ahead of rival unilateral ceasefires proposed separately by Moscow and Kyiv. Authorities in Zaporizhzhia said 12 people were killed in a Russian aerial attack, which President Volodymyr Zelensky described as a "cynical terrorist strike". He said five people were killed in Kramatorsk and four in Dnipro. In Russia, authorities in the Chuvash Republic said two people were killed and 32 injured in a drone attack on Tuesday morning. On Monday Russia and Ukraine declared unilateral ceasefires ahead of commemorations held by Russia to mark the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany on Saturday. Russia 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. But Kyiv announced it would observe an open-ended ceasefire from midnight on 6 May, and that Ukraine would act "symmetrically" from that point on. The two ceasefires appear to be unilateral - meaning the two sides have not agreed on their terms, length or monitoring. Zelensky's chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov said that if the ceasefire announced by the Ukrainian president was reciprocated, "we will continue to observe it... The next move is Russia's". Zelensky urged Russia to lay down arms and "move to real diplomacy". "It's utter cynicism to ask for silence to hold propaganda celebrations and to launch such missile-drone attacks every day beforehand," he added. 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. "We believe that human life is of incomparably greater value than the 'celebration' of any anniversary," he wrote on Telegram. Ahead of its own midnight ceasefire on Wednesday (Tuesday 22:00 GMT), 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 the Chuvash Republic. 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. The Russian defence ministry later confirmed it had downed six Ukrainian Flamingos as well as 601 drones. On Tuesday morning, several airports across Russia were temporarily shut. Later, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced that a number of drones had been downed near the capital. The Kremlin has betrayed signs of nervousness ahead of Victory Day. 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. 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. Muscovites were also warned that mobile internet access would be disrupted or cut off for several days in the lead-up to 9 May. 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". 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. Its drones can now fly deep into Russia, often eschewing air defences, and on Monday morning one hit a high-rise in central Moscow. Its drones can now fly deep into Russia, often eschewing air defences, and on Monday morning one hit a high-rise in central Moscow 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. Zelensky on the left with a soldier holding a drone on the right The Iran war has strengthened Ukraine in surprising ways. Could a ceasefire with Russia be closer? Russian service personnel march during a Victory Day parade on Moscow's Red Square. Photo: 9 May 2025 Russia scales back Moscow Victory Day parade, blaming threat from Ukraine Ukraine is considering a law that would effectively ban foreigners from accessing surrogacy in the country. The road crossing is the latest sign of the deepening relationship between Pyongyang and Moscow. After Ukraine's President Zelensky said territory had been captured using just robots and drones, what is the future of unmanned warfare? Protests have taken place at the prestigious arts fair over the inclusion of Russia for the first time since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine's president says Russia has "spurned the ceasefire" and Kyiv is deciding on further action to take. People in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky say they have been cut off from fresh supplies of food or medicine for months. Hope and Aid Direct has sent more than 100 aid trucks to Ukraine since the conflict began in 2022. Russia has declared a unilateral ceasefire to cover the event and threatened a massive strike on central Kyiv if it were disrupted.