Ukraine Conflict: Putin’s Ceasefire Begins Amid Ongoing Fighting
A period of unagreed ceasefire called for by Russian President Vladimir Putin began on Thursday morning, as he seeks to provide cover for Victory Day events in Moscow. However, Ukraine has dismissed the move as a "game" designed to protect Putin’s parade rather than a genuine step towards peace. According to a report by The Guardian, foreign leaders, including China’s Xi Jinping, are visiting the Russian capital for Victory Day celebrations.
The Kremlin was forced to announce on Wednesday that it was taking "all necessary measures" to ensure the safety of foreign leaders attending the parade, following days of Ukrainian drone attacks that have closed airports across Russia, disrupting around 350 flights and affecting approximately 60,000 people. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said authorities were jamming the internet due to the drone threat, adding that "as long as guests are here, until 10 May, we need to be ready for restrictions". He called on Muscovites to be understanding, citing the need for security measures to be in place.
Hours before Putin’s self-declared ceasefire was set to come into effect, Moscow unleashed a barrage of drone attacks across Ukraine. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russian aircraft targeted the north-eastern Sumy region with guided air bombs after the ceasefire was supposed to begin. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a Russian attack had killed a mother and her son in Kyiv on Wednesday. A Russian drone attack also wounded four people in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, according to Ukraine’s national police.
Zelenskyy appeared to acknowledge the drone attacks that have been targeting Russian sites, including the city of Moscow, disrupting the buildup to Victory Day. "It is absolutely fair that Russian skies, the skies of the aggressor, are also not calm today, in a mirror-like way," he said. The Ukrainian president has offered a 30-day ceasefire, as suggested in US-brokered talks, but the Kremlin has refused.
In a related development, Ukrainian long-range drones reportedly hit two military-industrial targets in Russia on Tuesday: the Bazalt plant in Krasnoarmeysk near Moscow, which produces weapons and ammunition, and the Splav plant in Tula, which produces multiple launch rocket systems and cartridges. A source at the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) suggested that the attacks were coordinated with the drone raids that shut down airports.
In a separate statement, US President Joe Biden accused former President Donald Trump of "modern-day appeasement" in his approach to Russia, expressing fears that Europe would "lose confidence in the certainty of America". Biden told The Guardian that anybody who thought Russian President Vladimir Putin would stop if Kyiv conceded territory, as recently proposed by Trump, "is just foolish". The comments come amid ongoing concerns about the impact of the conflict on global security.
The conflict has also had a significant impact on the environment, with a Russian drone estimated to have inflicted tens of millions of dollars’ worth of damage to the €1.5bn radiation containment around the destroyed reactor at Chornobyl nuclear power plant. The cost of a full fix is likely to be borne by western governments, including the UK, as initial estimates suggest that a complete repair will cost more than the €25m available in a special international contingency fund.
As reported by The Guardian, the situation on the ground remains volatile, with ongoing fighting and concerns about the humanitarian impact of the conflict. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, with many calling for a negotiated settlement to bring an end to the violence.
