Russian Forces Keep Striking Ukraine Overnight Despite Putin’s Declared ‘Ceasefire’

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia launched more than 140 attacks and over 850 drone strikes overnight, showing no attempt to observe a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Russia’s defense ministry claimed its forces had halted combat and were only responding to Ukrainian strikes. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied This handout photograph released by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine on May 8, 2026, shows firefighters extinguishing a forest fire in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in northern Ukraine amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Handout / STATE EMERGENSY SERVICE OF UKRAINE / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday, May 8, that Russian forces carried out more than 140 attacks overnight, despite Moscow’s unilateral ceasefire. In a Telegram update, Zelensky said Russian troops conducted 10 assault operations and launched over 850 drone strikes, including attacks using first-person view (FPV) drones and Lancet loitering munitions. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . “All this clearly shows that there was not even an imitation of a ceasefire from the Russian side,” Zelensky said. Zelensky said the heaviest fighting took place along the Sloviansk axis, with continued use of reconnaissance and strike drones across frontline areas. Ukraine will respond “symmetrically,” he added, emphasizing that Kyiv will continue to defend its positions and civilians. Russia’s defense ministry, meanwhile, said its forces had “fully ceased combat operations” from midnight on May 8 as part of a declared truce. The ministry claimed that Russian troops remained in their positions and acted only in response to Ukrainian attacks. According to the statement, Ukrainian forces carried out 153 artillery strikes and 887 drone attacks, with a total of 1,365 alleged ceasefire violations. Despite Russia’s claims, Ukrainian reports indicate continued large-scale combat activity across the front line. The Kremlin had proposed a temporary truce for May 8-9 tied to WWII anniversary events. Zelensky dismissed the proposal as “cynical,” calling it a “theatrical performance” designed to protect the Red Square parade from potential Ukrainian strikes rather than establish a genuine pause in fighting. Other Topics of Interest Russia Lines Up Another ‘Doomsday’ Sarmat Missile Test Ahead of Symbolic May 9 Window Russia appears to be preparing a new test of its troubled Sarmat intercontinental missile, with aviation warnings and restricted zones suggesting a launch around the symbolic May 9 Victory Day period. The system, plagued by repeated failures, has yet to enter service despite years of development and earlier Kremlin promises. Kyiv instead proposed what Zelensky described as a unilateral “ regime of silence ” beginning May 6 to test whether Moscow was serious about pursuing a real ceasefire. But Zelensky said Moscow ignored the offer and violated the proposal within hours, while Moscow later said it did not consider Kyiv’s proposal. “Russia has not stopped any type of its military activity,” he said. Zelensky added that Ukraine would respond “mirror-like” to Russian actions and determine “fully justified responses” depending on developments overnight and on May 7. Moscow, meanwhile, warned foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations on Wednesday that it could launch “ massive retaliatory strikes ” on Kyiv, including against what it called “decision-making centers,” if Ukraine disrupts Victory Day events in the Russian capital. Russia has also scaled back this year’s May 9 parade, with state media and officials indicating that heavy military equipment such as tanks and armored vehicles may not appear for the first time since 2007. Russian officials cited the “operational situation,” while Zelensky suggested fears of Ukrainian drone strikes were the real reason behind the reduced display. Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 67 drones overnight, including Shahed-type drones and decoy drones, targeting multiple regions across the country. Air defenses shot down or suppressed 56 of them as of 8 a.m., while 11 drones hit targets at eight locations. Falling debris was recorded at seven sites. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, three people were injured in a strike on Pavlohrad, with damage reported to homes and vehicles. Ukrainian drones also struck targets deep inside Russia early Friday , sparking a fire at a major oil refinery in Yaroslavl and explosions near defense-linked facilities in Rostov-on-Don, according to monitoring channels and open-source intelligence (OSINT) analysts. Geolocation data indicates the blaze occurred near a chemical plant and a defense-related enterprise, while in Yaroslavl, a fire hit the Slavneft-YANOS refinery – one of Russia’s largest fuel producers. The facility, partly owned by Rosneft and Gazprom, has been repeatedly targeted as Ukraine expands strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice.