Russia launches attacks across entire front line, exposing Putin’s “ceasefire” as farce – Sybiha

Andrii Sybiha, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, stated on X that the Russian occupation forces have continued their attacks along the entire front line on 8 May, making their own statements about the “ceasefire” a farce.

“I just spoke with Ukraine’s military command, who provided information about the frontline situation. Predictably, Putin’s ‘Parade ceasefire’ proved to be a farce,” he wrote.

According to Ukraine’s military data, despite Putin’s statements, Russian forces continue to attack across the entire frontline.

“From midnight to midday, Russia committed 734 ceasefire violations and 63 assault operations, 23 of which are still ongoing; 586 attacks on our troops’ positions, 464 of which used heavy weapons; 176 strikes by FPV-drones; and 10 air strikes using 16 guided aerial bombs,” Sybiha added.

Sybiha said that all information on the attacks will be provided to the United States, the EU, and other international partners and organisations. He also reiterated that Ukraine is ready for at least a 30-day full ceasefire, which Russia rejects.

Viktor Trehubov, spokesperson for the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group, on the national joint 24/7 newscast, also confirmed that Russians continue assaults and attacks along several fronts in Ukraine. 

“There were assault actions starting at midnight, when this supposed truce took effect – on the Lyman front, on the Vovchansk front, directly in the city of Vovchansk, in the town of Chasiv Yar on the Kramatorsk front, in the city of Toretsk and in Shcherbynka on the Toretsk front, and on the Pokrovsk front – with active attempts to advance along the entire front line. The same applies to the Novopavlivka front. So to say that they proclaimed some sort of ceasefire – as we can see, there is no sign of it on the battlefield or in the rear,” he said.

Moreover, Trehubov noted that the Pokrovsk front remains one of the toughest. Ukrainian forces are fighting defensive battles there. Russian troops are attempting to carry out assault operations west of the city, east of the urban agglomeration – along the Pokrovsk–Kostiantynivka road – and slightly further south to reinforce efforts on the Novopavlivka front.

“In total, 65 [combat clashes] – that’s not as many as on some past days, but it’s currently the most intense front, the most intense section of the front. And the Russians are not abandoning their attempts to improve their tactical position around the city – either to cross the Pokrovsk–Kostiantynivka road to complicate the connection between these cities, or to reach the road to Pavlohrad… or somehow support those forces trying to advance along the Novopavlivka front towards the border with Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, which, as of now, they have not managed to do. And as they planned, they will not succeed by May 9,” he said.

The Sumy Oblast Prosecutor’s Office and the State Emergency Service (SES) reported that one person was killed and two others injured in Russian guided aerial bomb attacks on the Sumy Oblast on the night of May 7-8. 

At around 03:00 on 8 May, in Sumy District’s Mykolaivka hromadaі , Russians dropped what is likely a guided aerial bomb on civilian houses. As a result, a 55-year-old woman was killed in her own home, and her 24-year-old son was injured.

Half an hour later, at 03:30, the Russian army personnel dropped another bomb on the civilian infrastructure of the Vorozhba hromada in Sumy District, injuring a 70-year-old woman.

Later, the SES added that on the morning of May 8, the Russians conducted airstrikes on the territory of the Bilopillia hromada, as a result of which one residential building was completely destroyed and three civilian houses and seven outbuildings were damaged.

ZMINA continues to report on ongoing international crimes in the Sumy Oblast.

By way of background, Russian ruler Vladimir Putin unilaterally declared a so-called three-day ceasefire, which he stated had come into effect at 00:00 on the night of May 7-8.

Earlier, Ukraine urged countries not to whitewash Russian war crimes by participating in Moscow’s May 9 military parade.