bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

quizIds

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

paywallTypes

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Agence France-Presse

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order for a three-day truce with Ukraine took effect Thursday, but the Ukrainians said Moscow had broken its own order after just a few hours.
Ukraine accused Russia of hundreds of front line attacks as world leaders - including China’s Xi Jinping, Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Serbia’s Aleksandar Vucic - were in Moscow for commemorations of the end of World War II.
“Predictably, Putin’s Parade ceasefire proves to be a farce,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said.
“Russian forces continue to attack across the entire front line. From midnight to midday, Russia carried out 734 ceasefire violations and 63 assault operations,” he added.

A Ukrainian army brigade operating in the Kharkiv region there had been heavy drone fire since Putin’s order came into force.
The Russian army said it was observing the truce while simultaneously “responding” to attacks by Ukraine.
Putin unilaterally ordered the temporary truce to coincide with Moscow’s Victory Day parade on Friday.
Ukraine never agreed to the proposal, has dismissed it as theatrics and called instead for a 30-day ceasefire.
US President Donald Trump has sought to end Moscow’s three-year military assault on Ukraine since his inauguration in January, but has failed to ease hostilities between the enemies.
Hours before Putin’s order was scheduled to enter force, Moscow and Kyiv staged aerial attacks, prompting airport closures in Russia and leaving at least two dead in Ukraine.

Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod airport in the west was closed for about one-and-a-half hours early Thursday “to ensure flight safety of civil aircraft”, according to a Federal Air Transport Agency spokesperson.
The Kremlin has said Russian forces will honour Putin’s order for the duration of the holiday period, but would respond “immediately” if attacked.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his call for a 30-day ceasefire in his evening address on Wednesday.
“We are not withdrawing this proposal, which could give diplomacy a chance. But the world is not seeing any response from Russia,” he said.
Putin announced the truce last month, calling it a “humanitarian” gesture, after pressure from the United States to halt Russia’s assault on Ukraine.
Putin rejected a joint US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional ceasefire in March.

Ukraine has said it does not believe Russia will adhere to the truce and accused Moscow of hundreds of violations during a previous, 30-hour ceasefire Putin ordered for Easter.
Russia, which launched a full-scale military offensive on Ukraine in 2022, fired over 100 drones and multiple ballistic missiles at its neighbour between late Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, killing a mother and her son, Kyiv said.
The White House has become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress towards a peace deal between the warring sides, despite Trump’s efforts.
US Vice-President J.D. Vance on Wednesday called on the two to enter direct talks.
Russia marks Victory Day with a grand parade of military equipment on Red Square and an address from Putin.
More than 20 world leaders were expected in Moscow for the May 9 parade.

“Our military and special services are taking all necessary measures to ensure that the celebration of the great victory takes place in a calm, stable and peaceful atmosphere,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
He also said authorities had jammed internet connections ahead of the parade, citing the threat from Ukraine.
“As long as guests are here, until May 10, we need to be ready for restrictions,” he added.
Russian forces occupy one-fifth of Ukraine, and this spring hit the country with a string of deadly attacks on civilian areas.
Russians from outside Moscow visiting the heavily policed capital on Wednesday ahead of the parade appeared unfazed.
“We are from Rostov-on-Don. Nothing scares us,” said 22-year-old student Valeria Pavlova. The southern city serves as a command and logistics hub for the Ukraine offensive and has regularly been targeted.
“It’s much calmer here,” she added.
But scenes at airports in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other cities were more chaotic on Wednesday.
Ukraine launched a barrage of drones at Russia earlier in the day, forcing airports to halt traffic. Around 60,000 people’s flights were disrupted, according to Moscow.
Kyiv’s drone attacks disrupted about 350 flights Tuesday and Wednesday, Russia’s Association of Tour Operators said.
Social media videos showed people sleeping on the floor and airports with rows of over a dozen planes queuing on the tarmac.
Ukraine’s airspace has been forced to close since Russia launched its offensive in February 2022.


Iran-Israel war: why China’s airlines may face less turbulence than Western rivals

Ukraine reveals details of alleged plot to assassinate Zelensky

Beijing’s ‘massive’ build-up raises threat of Taiwan Strait conflict: Nato chief

UK’s King Charles welcomes Ukraine’s Zelensky to Windsor Castle lunch

Ukraine war

Putin’s 3-day ceasefire begins as Ukraine reports violations

A Russian serviceman patrols with an anti-drone gun on Wednesday ahead of the general rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade in Moscow. Photo: AFP

Chinese President Xi Jinping in Moscow on Wednesday. Photo: Ria Novosti via Reteurs

Russian jets during a rehearsal for Friday’s parade in Moscow. Photo: Reuters

Russian T-72 battle tanks in Moscow. Photo: EPA-EFE

Russian servicemen marching in Moscow. Photo: AFP

J.D. Vance says US thinks Russia asking too much to end Ukraine war

US Vice-President J.D. Vance delivers remarks at the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Xi Jinping’s Russia visit balances symbolism and strategy as Europe watches

A four-day visit this week to Russia by Chinese President Xi Jinping will include talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday. Photo: Reuters 

Russian service members rehearse for a military parade on Wednesday in central Moscow. Photo: Reuters

Ukraine attacks power station amid reports of new offensive in Russia’s Kursk

The entrance to the village of Pogrebki, Russia’s Kursk region. Photo: Alexander Khinshtein via EPA-EFE

Russian soldiers in a village in the Sudzha district of Russia’s Kursk region in March, after it was previously held by Ukrainian troops. File photo: AFP

Russia’s Putin says West tried to provoke him into using nuclear weapons in Ukraine

Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launchers during a rehearsal Victory Day celebrations, in downtown Moscow. Photo: EPA-EFE

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: Sputnik via EPA-EFE

A Russian nuclear-capable strategic bomber. File photo: Russian Defence Ministry via AP

Russian armoured vehicles drive through central Moscow for a Victory Day military parade rehearsal. Photo: AFP

Ukraine destroys Russian fighter jet with missile from sea drone in world first, says Kyiv military

A Russian Su-27 aircraft dumps fuel over the Black Sea in 2023. Ukraine said on Saturday that it has shot down such an aircraft using a maritime drone. Photo: Handout via Reuters

A view from the cockpit of a Russian Su-30 fighter jet during a training mission in January 2022. Photo: AP

News

World

Russia & Central Asia

Europe

Temporary truce coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the World War II defeat of Nazi Germany


Temporary truce coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the World War II defeat of Nazi Germany.
