Russia and Ukraine Accuse Each Other of Violating Victory Day Ceasefire

There were no casualties from that incident. Mobile internet access was also restricted in Moscow and St Petersburg for security reasons during the holiday period. The Victory Day events in Moscow will feature no military hardware for the first time in nearly two decades, with only soldiers participating.

Attendance by foreign leaders is limited to dignitaries from Belarus, Malaysia and Laos. Russia had warned that any Ukrainian disruption of the parade would trigger a large-scale missile strike on Kyiv and urged foreign diplomats to leave the Ukrainian capital.

“Just as 81 years ago, so now America can help peace with a just and strong stance against the aggressor. And it is important that the American people now view Russia precisely in this way – as an aggressor.”

The commemorations mark the Soviet Union’s loss of 27 million people in the war, culminating in the Red Army raising the Victory Banner over the Reichstag in Berlin in May 1945. Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russian energy sites since March, hitting some facilities multiple times.

Separately, Ukrainian emergency services are battling a large wildfire covering about 11 square kilometres in the Chornobyl exclusion zone. Strong winds, dry conditions and landmines from the conflict are complicating firefighting efforts, though radiation levels remain normal.

Kyiv sought an open-ended truce beginning May 6. Russia instead announced a 48-hour pause tied specifically to its Victory Day events. Zelenskyy had criticised the Russian approach beforehand, saying Moscow wanted only a brief pause to hold its parade before resuming attacks.

The mutual accusations of violations surfaced as European Council President António Costa said there was potential for the EU to negotiate directly with Russia on ending the war, with Zelenskyy’s backing. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was ready for dialogue but would not initiate contacts itself.

Ukraine has focused long-range drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and related sites, viewing them as critical to Moscow’s war funding. One reporter noted that the Tuapse refinery on the Black Sea coast has been struck four times, reflecting a sustained tactic.

The latest strike on the Yaroslavl facility fits this pattern, occurring about 700 kilometres inside Russia. Russian officials described Ukrainian actions as continuing strikes on both military and civilian targets in border regions including Kursk and Belgorod.

Both sides said their forces provided responses matching the scale of reported violations.