Russia launched a devastating attack on Ukraine just hours after the announcement of a truce

At least 26 people died and more than 80 were injured in a new wave of drone and missile attacks launched by Russia against Ukraine , in an escalation of violence that occurs a few hours after the entry into force of a ceasefire announced by Kiev and just days before a truce proposed by Moscow

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The bombings impacted several regions of the country, including the cities of Kramatorsk, Zaporizhzhia and Chernihiv, evidencing the breadth of the offensive. In Zaporizhzhia, at least 12 people died and more than a dozen were injured, according to regional authorities. In Kramatorsk, considered the main stronghold under Ukrainian control in the Donetsk region, there were

at least five deaths.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenski, further confirmed that a Russian attack in the city of Dnipro left four additional fatalities. In parallel, state gas installations in the Poltava and Kharkiv regions were hit during the night, causing the death of five people, including workers and rescuers, and leaving 37 injured

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The executive director of the state energy company Naftogaz reported that the attacks caused significant damage to infrastructure and generated production losses, in addition to interrupting the supply of gas to nearly 3,500 users.

As he explained, it was a combined attack that included unmanned aerial vehicles and ballistic missiles

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Zelenskyi accused Russia of acting with “absolute cynicism” in announcing a ceasefire while continuing with the bombings. “Russia could cease fire at any time,” said the president, who reiterated that Ukraine will respond in proportion to Russian actions. Kiev assured that it will respect a ceasefire starting at the end of Tuesday, although without setting an end date, maintaining a position conditioned on reciprocity.

For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced a two-day truce, Friday and Saturday, on the occasion of the commemorations of the Soviet victory in the Second World War. However, the continued attacks called into question the effectiveness of these announcements and the real will to reduce hostilities

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According to the Ukrainian air force, Russia launched 11 ballistic missiles and 164 drones in a single day. Although most were intercepted or neutralized, several succeeded in achieving their objectives. Analysts point out that while Ukraine has improved its ability to shoot down drones, it continues to face difficulties intercepting ballistic missiles, which has led to repeated requests for advanced air defense systems from

its Western allies.

In parallel, Ukraine also intensified its operations within Russian territory. In the Republic of Chuvashia, a drone attack left two dead and at least 32 injured, including minors, prompting local authorities to declare a state of emergency. In addition, a Ukrainian attack caused a fire in one of Russia's largest oil refineries, located in the city of Kirishi, although no

casualties were reported.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its anti-aircraft systems shot down 289 Ukrainian drones overnight, reflecting the magnitude of the fighting on both sides of the conflict.

The intensification of attacks, amidst cross-ceasefire announcements, highlights the fragility of any attempt at a truce and underlines the persistent escalation of a conflict that continues without clear signs of an immediate ceasefire.