Fresh Russian aerial strikes involving missiles and drones have killed at least five people and injured 33 others, including emergency responders, according to local officials. The offensive primarily targeted the Poltava and Kharkiv regions, causing significant disruption to civilian infrastructure and energy supplies.
In the Poltava region of central-eastern Ukraine, Governor Vitali Diakivnych reported that the strikes focused on industrial facilities, resulting in four deaths and 31 injuries. The damage left approximately 3,500 customers without gas and caused disruptions to the local railway network.
Meanwhile, in the eastern region of Kharkiv, one person was killed and two others were wounded in a separate attack. Simultaneously, Russian channels on the Telegram digital platform reported a massive Ukrainian counter-strike on Russian territory during the early hours of the morning.
Read more about this topic: Ukraine: Putin proposes May 9 ceasefire during call with Trump (with video)
This latest escalation in the conflict, which began with the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, comes despite the announcement of two temporary ceasefires scheduled for Friday and Saturday. These truces were intended to honor the anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
The proposal for the pause in hostilities was reportedly discussed during a phone call last week between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.
While Russia maintains its traditional celebrations on May 9, Ukraine has marked the victory on May 8 alongside Western allies since 2023. Although similar brief truces were successfully brokered between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2025, the current exchange of bombardments highlights the extreme fragility of such agreements as the war continues.
