Russia, Ukraine exchange overnight strikes ahead of proposed 3 day ceasefire

New Delhi, May 7: Russia and Ukraine engaged in a wave of strikes overnight on Wednesday, just hours before a proposed ceasefire announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to begin. The escalation comes as Moscow prepares to host world leaders for a major World War Two commemoration parade. Ukrainian cities were hit by a barrage of missiles and drones, with Kyiv reporting multiple explosions and civilian casualties.

Two people, a woman and her son, were killed when debris from intercepted drones ignited fires in residential buildings in the Shevchenkivskyi district. Seven others were injured across the capital.

Ukrainian officials said Russia had launched 142 drones and four ballistic missiles in a single night, targeting several regions including Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Kherson, Zhytomyr, and Dnipro. Emergency services remain deployed nationwide. In response, Ukrainian drones struck Moscow for the third consecutive night, forcing key airports in the Russian capital to suspend operations. At least 350 flights were delayed or cancelled, according to AFP. Russian air defences reportedly intercepted 14 drones, and no significant damage was reported.

The strikes come ahead of Putin’s proposed three-day ceasefire starting on May 8, timed to coincide with the annual Victory Day parade marking the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany. Kyiv dismissed the offer, demanding a broader and unconditional 30-day cessation of hostilities instead. The parade in Moscow’s Red Square is expected to feature the presence of 29 world leaders, including China’s President Xi Jinping, who is attending as a guest of honour. Other attendees include the leaders of Brazil, Belarus, Vietnam, Venezuela, and Serbia, whose participation has drawn criticism from Brussels amid ongoing EU membership talks.

China is contributing the largest foreign military contingent to the parade, sending 102 soldiers. President Xi and Russian officials are expected to sign several bilateral agreements aimed at deepening their strategic partnership, which has expanded significantly since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Kremlin has described China-Russia ties as being at their strongest in history. Ahead of his visit, Xi praised the resilience of the relationship and stressed the importance of resisting any attempts to undermine it. Ukraine and much of Europe, which will mark VE Day on May 8, have rejected Russia’s framing of the parade and broader war rhetoric. Ukrainian officials have accused Moscow of using the World War Two anniversary to justify current military aggression, and have warned foreign troops against participating in events they say whitewash alleged war crimes. A previous ceasefire attempt over Easter failed to hold, with both sides accusing each other of violations. Russia continues to occupy roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014. The war, now in its third year, shows no sign of abating.