Ukrainian cross border incursions thwarted during Victory Day truce – Russia
Two attempts by Ukrainian forces to cross the border into Russia’s Kursk Region have been thwarted, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said.
Kiev’s troops tried to carry out the incursions despite Russian President Vladimir Putin announcing a 72-hour Victory Day ceasefire from midnight on May 7-8 to midnight on May 10-11, the ministry noted in a statement on Thursday.
Another major Ukrainian assault on Russian positions took place near the town of Dzerzhinsk (known as Toretsk in Ukraine), the statement read.
Since the start of the declared truce period, Kiev’s forces have attacked a total of 488 times, including 173 artillery, tank and mortar attacks, four uses of multiple rocket launchers and some 300 strikes by FPV drones, it added.
“The deliberate destructive actions of the Ukrainian side against Russia confirm the desire of the Kiev regime to prevent a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict,” the ministry stressed.
After midnight, the Russian forces completely ceased hostilities and remained at the previously occupied lines and positions in accordance with the order by the president, the statement read.
“The Russian military strictly observes the ceasefire. In particular, no strikes are being carried out by aircraft, missile forces, artillery, and drones,” it stressed.
The country’s troops are only providing a “tit-for-tat reaction” to violations of the truce by Ukraine, the ministry added.
When announcing the ceasefire last week, Putin described it as a humanitarian gesture to mark the 80th anniversary of Soviet victory over Nazi Germany that could also serve as a catalyst for “the start of direct negotiations with Kiev without preconditions.”
However, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has declined to support it, calling it a Russian ploy and an “attempt at manipulation.” Instead, Kiev has ramped up drone strikes on Russian territory, with the Defense Ministry reporting a record 524 UAVs being shot down on Wednesday. Moscow insisted that it would stick to its decision to introduce a Victory Day truce despite provocations by Kiev.
