Ukrainian troops make further attempts to breach Russian border
Ukrainian troops make further attempts to breach the Russian border in the Kursk and Belgorod regions, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. These incidents happened despite a three-day ceasefire from May 8 to 10, which Russia declared unilaterally to commemorate the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
During this period, Ukrainian forces reportedly continued to engage in heavy fighting, challenging the Kremlin-inspired truce. In particular, the northeastern Sumy region, a hotspot of recent Russian attacks, saw no reduction in hostilities.
Clashes persist despite the ceasefire
Ukraine denounced the ceasefire as a “farce,” reporting numerous armed clashes. The military recorded 162 skirmishes, 22 air strikes, and nearly a thousand drone attacks within 24 hours while the truce was supposedly in effect.
Sumy’s regional military administration confirmed that no ceasefire took place on May 8 and 9, with three civilians killed by Russian forces during those days.
Heavy fighting in key border regions
Fierce battles erupted near Pokrovsk, an important logistics center in eastern Ukraine. Moscow’s troops have targeted this area for months, attempting to break Ukrainian lines 51 times recently.
The Russian Defense Ministry also noted four Ukrainian attempts last week to cross into Kursk and Belgorod regions. Meanwhile, Kyiv’s forces launched 15 attacks on Russian troops in eastern Ukraine during the ceasefire.
Continued hostilities in Kursk and Belgorod
In Belgorod, a Ukrainian drone struck a government building despite the ceasefire. Kursk has seen ongoing conflict since Ukrainian forces made a significant incursion last August, holding parts of Russian territory for months. Fighting continues even after President Putin declared “victory” in Kursk last month.
Ukrainian troops reportedly repelled 19 attacks in that area. Pro-Russian sources describe intense fighting near the village of Tetkino and ongoing Ukrainian strikes on villages in Belgorod.
Mutual accusations of ceasefire breaches
Both Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of violating an earlier 30-hour Easter ceasefire. In southeastern Zaporizhzhia, Russian forces shelled eight frontline villages 220 times since the ceasefire began.
The tense situation underscores the fragile and contested nature of the truce, with no clear end in sight to the clashes along these key border regions.