Despite a ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin, fierce fighting continues across multiple regions in Ukraine. Both Russia and Ukraine are accusing each other of violating the temporary truce, raising questions about the credibility of Moscow’s announcement and the true intentions behind it.
The 72-hour unilateral ceasefire, declared by Russia to commemorate the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany, was set to expire at midnight Saturday (2100 GMT). However, the situation on the ground tells a different story.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense released a statement on Saturday claiming that its forces had remained within previously occupied zones and were observing the ceasefire. According to them, it was Ukraine that broke the truce by launching attacks in several regions, including Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Donetsk. Russian troops, they said, were merely “retaliating” to violations.
Ukraine, however, has dismissed Russia’s claim entirely. Officials in Kyiv say that Moscow never stopped its aggression and that Russian forces continued to shell Ukrainian positions, fly reconnaissance drones, and push attacks just as before. Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines echoed the sentiment, calling the ceasefire a “farce” with no real impact on the battlefield.
“There hasn’t been any ceasefire,” one wounded Ukrainian soldier in Zaporizhzhia told Reuters. “Shelling has continued just as before. Drones are flying just like before. Nothing has changed.”
The Ukrainian government, which never agreed to the ceasefire, is instead calling for a more substantial 30-day truce—a proposal being backed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The extended ceasefire is aimed at creating space for diplomatic negotiations and humanitarian efforts, though no progress has yet been made toward a mutual agreement.
Russia also accused Ukrainian forces of attempting four separate incursions into Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions. However, the Kremlin did not provide evidence or specify when these alleged events occurred.
Reuters has not independently verified any of the claims made by either side. But the latest developments underscore the fragile nature of any proposed ceasefire and the continuing instability in the region, even amid symbolic gestures.
As the conflict drags on, both nations remain locked in a deadly stalemate, with civilian lives and international diplomacy hanging in the balance. Observers are left wondering whether the ceasefire was ever meant to be honored—or if it was just another geopolitical move in a long and brutal war.
