Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared that Russia launched over 200 drones overnight, signaling the end of what he described as a ‘partial ceasefire.’ Zelenskyy issued a warning on the US social media platform X, stating, “We will respond in kind to all Russian steps.”

According to Anadolu Agency, Zelenskyy accused Moscow of deploying more than 80 aerial bombs and conducting over 30 airstrikes. He reported that drones were intercepted over several regions, including Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, as well as Kyiv and its surrounding areas.

Zelenskyy detailed the damage done to energy facilities, apartment buildings, a kindergarten, and a civilian locomotive in the Dnipropetrovsk region. He noted that there were injuries and fatalities, offering condolences to the families affected by the strikes.

The Ukrainian leader urged Russia to end the war and called for stronger sanctions until a sustainable ceasefire is achieved. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed on Telegram that it had downed 31 Ukrainian drones over the Belgorod, Volgograd, Voronezh, and Rostov regions since midnight.

The difficulty in independently verifying these claims persists due to the ongoing conflict. The latest developments follow the expiration of a three-day Russia-Ukraine ceasefire proposed by US President Donald Trump, which ended at 2100GMT on Monday. Trump had previously announced a truce for May 9-11, alongside a prisoner exchange, describing it as a potential step towards peace.

Before Trump’s proposal, Russia had announced a unilateral ceasefire to commemorate the anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II, warning of a ‘massive’ missile response if celebrations were disrupted. Ukraine had agreed to observe the ceasefire starting at midnight on May 6, with both sides later accusing each other of violations.