**Russia’s Ceasefire Proves to be a Farce: Ukraine Accuses Russia of 734 Violations**
In a shocking turn of events, Ukraine has accused Russia of violating its unilateral ceasefire for the third consecutive day. The truce, announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, was meant to mark World War Two Victory Day but has proven to be nothing more than a farce.
According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, there were 734 Russian violations since the ceasefire came into effect overnight into Thursday. “Russia’s truce is just a theatrical show designed to protect the Moscow Victory Day parade on Friday,” he said.
The situation on the ground remains dire, with at least one person killed in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region due to Russian air strikes using glide bombs. Buildings were hit in a residential area of Bilopillia, a town in Sumy just south of the Russian border, and emergency services had to rescue a woman trapped under the rubble.
**Ukraine Responds Appropriately**
Sybiha added that Ukraine was responding “appropriately” to every attack by Russia. This means that Ukrainian forces are taking necessary measures to protect themselves and their citizens from ongoing aggression.
However, Russia’s defense ministry has disputed this claim, accusing Ukraine of 488 violations since the truce began. The Russian government also claimed that all groups of Russian forces in Ukraine had “completely ceased combat operations” but were reacting in a “mirror-like manner” to Ukrainian forces.
**Ukraine Rejects Russian Truce**
The Ukrainian government has rejected Russia’s ceasefire, with President Volodymyr Zelensky calling it a “parade of cynicism.” The Ukrainian president has reiterated calls for a longer truce of at least 30 days.
Zelensky said that Ukraine was marking Victory Day along with all those who had fought to ensure evil would lose and it would be “never again.” He also warned that evil had to be appeased “resolutely, with force.”
**Experts Weigh In**
Sergey Sanovich of Stanford University told the BBC that Russia’s truce was not meant as a gesture of goodwill to Ukrainians but rather to maintain interest in talks with the US. “This is just a ploy by Putin to keep the momentum going for his own agenda,” he said.
Sanovich also noted that Ukraine’s drone strikes against Russian targets were an indication that Kyiv was not interested in “peace out of desperation.” He added that this showed that the Ukrainian government was determined to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
**International Reactions**
The international community is watching the situation closely. China’s President Xi Jinping met with Putin at the Kremlin on Wednesday, where they signed an updated investment deal. However, Ukraine warned it could not guarantee the safety of anyone attending the parade in Moscow.
As Europe celebrates Victory in Europe (VE) Day on May 8, Ukraine marked its own Victory Day along with other countries that had fought against Nazi Germany.
**What’s Next?**
The situation remains tense, and it is unclear what will happen next. One thing is certain, however: the people of Ukraine will not give up without a fight for their freedom and sovereignty.
As Sviatoslav Yurash, a Ukrainian MP and serving soldier, said, “We don’t want a peace that breaks apart in no time, and Russia takes another attempt to try and kill us and destroy us.”
