Russian forces launched 100 attack drones across Ukraine overnight, hours after President Vladimir V. Putin ordered a unilateral three-day cease-fire starting on May 8.
April 29, 2025, 5:14 a.m. ET
Russian forces launched 100 attack drones across Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian authorities said on Tuesday, killing a child and injuring several people just hours after President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia ordered a unilateral three-day cease-fire starting on May 8.
The announcement on Monday of the cease-fire was met with swift skepticism by Ukrainian officials.
“There is no reason to wait until May 8,” President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said in his nightly address, calling the announcement “another attempt at manipulation” amid the Trump administration’s push for an end to the war.
Mr. Zelensky noted that Ukraine had already agreed, at the urging of the United States, to an unconditional 30-day cease-fire — but that Russia had not. Nor did Russia agree to halt strikes on civilian targets, he added.
“Russia has consistently rejected everything and continues to manipulate the world, trying to deceive the United States,” Mr. Zelensky said.
If Russia truly wants a cease-fire, he added, “it must be immediate, full and unconditional — for at least 30 days to ensure it is secure and guaranteed.” He also said that “the cease-fire should not be just for a few days, only to return to killing afterward.”
On Tuesday morning, Ukraine’s Air Force said it had shot down 37 of the drones Russian forces launched overnight. Nine drones were downed in the Kyiv region, the local authorities said, where falling debris caused injuries and started a fire at a hotel.
In the Dnipro region, a drone attack killed a 12-year-old girl. A 6-year-old girl and two adults were also wounded, according to the local authorities.
The Kremlin’s announcement about the temporary truce came shortly after President Trump expressed frustration with Russia’s continued bombardment of Ukraine. After meeting with Mr. Zelensky over the weekend, Mr. Trump said that he questioned whether Mr. Putin truly wanted peace.
“Maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently,” Mr. Trump wrote in a social media post.
Maria Varenikova covers Ukraine and its war with Russia.
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