Russian strikes continue in Zaporizhzhia hours after Kyiv ceasefire takes effect

Ukraine has reported a Russian strike on an industrial facility in the southern Zaporizhzhia region on Wednesday morning, occurring just hours after Kyiv's unilateral ceasefire came into effect. The attack was part of a broader wave of Russian assaults across multiple regions that Interior Minister Igor Klymenko stated resulted in at least 28 deaths and 120 injuries.

The death toll was initially reported as 27 by Klymenko before a subsequent update from the military administration in Kramatorsk raised the figure to 28. This escalation in violence challenges the narrative of a de-escalation period, particularly as Moscow has not immediately reported any Ukrainian strikes during the truce window.

President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks as having absolutely no military justification, describing the actions as an act of terror rather than legitimate warfare. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiga echoed this sentiment, accusing Moscow of intensifying terror in the lead-up to the proposed halt in hostilities.

The incident unfolds against a backdrop of competing unilateral ceasefires announced by both capitals earlier this week. Russia's pause is timed to coincide with its May 9 World War II Victory Day commemorations, a period during which the Kremlin has ordered a scaled-back parade due to fears of Ukrainian targeting.

While the US State Department confirmed a telephone call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov regarding the war, no specific details were disclosed concerning the ceasefire arrangements or the ongoing strikes.

Kyiv has intensified retaliatory long-range strikes in recent weeks, targeting Russian oil facilities and infrastructure, yet the immediate cessation of attacks by Moscow remains unverified. The four-year conflict shows no sign of resolution at the negotiating table, with Moscow maintaining demands for a full Ukrainian withdrawal from the Donbas.