Tensions between Ukraine and Russia continued to rise as both countries accused each other of launching attacks on civilians during the second day of a temporary ceasefire reportedly brokered by US President Donald Trump.
The three-day truce, announced on Friday, was meant to pause all major military operations beginning Saturday. Trump stated that both sides had agreed to temporarily halt “kinetic” warfare in hopes of reducing violence and opening space for further diplomatic discussions.
However, despite a noticeable reduction in large-scale air raids, reports from both Ukraine and Russia suggested that civilian areas were still being targeted.
Ukrainian officials said Russian strikes in the eastern part of the country injured at least nine civilians. In Russia’s Belgorod border region, local authorities reported that Ukrainian attacks wounded four people, including a border guard.
In Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, Governor Oleksandr Ganzha confirmed that a three-year-old girl and a 23-year-old rescue worker were injured following Russian drone attacks. According to officials, emergency crews were travelling to assist residents in the village of Myrivska when their rescue vehicle was struck by a drone.
Additional attacks were reported in Ukraine’s southern regions. Authorities in Kherson said four people were injured, including a 19-year-old civilian and a city council employee. In nearby Mykolaiv, officials reported injuries after a drone attack targeted a civilian vehicle. Another drone strike in Zaporizhzhia reportedly wounded a local resident.
Meanwhile, Russia accused Ukraine of repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreement. The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that Ukrainian forces carried out more than 16,000 ceasefire violations within 24 hours, including drone operations and frontline assaults.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected those claims and accused Russian troops of continuing offensive actions on the battlefield.
“In several frontline areas, Russian forces are not observing the ceasefire and are making little effort to respect it,” Zelensky said during his evening address.
The ongoing conflict, which began after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has become Europe’s deadliest war since World War II, leaving hundreds of thousands dead or injured and forcing millions from their homes.
International efforts to secure peace have struggled to make meaningful progress. US-led negotiations aimed at reducing hostilities have reportedly stalled in recent months as Washington’s geopolitical focus shifted toward rising tensions involving Iran.
Trump also announced that both countries had agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each, although officials have not yet confirmed when the exchange will take place.
Ukraine has urged the United States to remain actively involved in ensuring that any agreements reached are properly implemented and respected by both sides.
As the fragile ceasefire faces mounting challenges, the world continues to watch closely, hoping diplomacy can still prevent further civilian suffering and destruction.
