The Russian side disrupted the ceasefire that Ukraine declared from 00:00 on May 6, 2026. According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, by morning, 1820 violations of silence had already been recorded — from shelling and assault actions to the use of drones and aviation.
For Ukraine, this became direct evidence that the Kremlin did not intend to test the possibility of a real truce. For Israel, this story also sounds familiar: when terrorist logic is covered by words of ‘peace,’ and strikes on cities continue, it is not about diplomacy, but about pressure on the civilian population.
What Zelensky stated
Volodymyr Zelensky reported that after midnight on May 6, the Russian army continued active hostilities and terrorist shelling. According to him, Russia’s choice is obvious: rejection of silence, rejection of preserving human lives, and continuation of the war even at a moment when there was an opportunity to stop the fire at least for a day.
The Ukrainian side declared the silence regime not as a symbolic gesture for the cameras, but as a practical test: whether Russia is ready to at least temporarily stop the killings. The answer came quickly — with new attacks.
According to AP, after Ukraine’s announcement of a ceasefire, Russia continued to launch drones and missiles. Ukrainian officials reported 108 drones and three missiles, as well as casualties and injuries from previous Russian strikes.
Why this is related to May 9
Context is important here. Putin previously announced a brief ‘truce’ on dates around May 9 — a day the Kremlin uses as the main political decoration for the military cult. Ukraine, in turn, proposed to start the silence earlier — from midnight on May 6, to show: if Moscow can really stop the fire for the sake of the parade, then it can stop it for the sake of people’s lives.
This is the main blow to Russian propaganda. The Kremlin wants safety for its own parade but does not provide safety to Ukrainian cities. It wants silence around Moscow but continues to shell Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kramatorsk, Kharkiv, and other settlements.
Reuters also reports that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga accused Russia of continuing attacks at night and in the morning of May 6, including on Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia. He called Moscow’s actions a rejection of peace and urged increased pressure on Russia.
For Israel, this is not abstract news
The Israeli audience well understands what a ‘truce’ means, which is violated almost immediately after the announcement. This is not just a diplomatic failure. This is a method of war against the civilian sector, where the word ‘silence’ turns into a screen, and strikes continue on cities, infrastructure, and people.
In this sense, the Ukrainian experience is close to the Israeli one: terrorist regimes and aggressive states often use pauses, dates, and symbols not for peace, but for regrouping, propaganda, and pressure on the opponent.
NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency considers this story in exactly this context: it is not only about the front in Ukraine but also about a broader model of behavior of enemies of democratic countries. Russia demonstrates the same principle that is well known to Israel in the Middle East: first talk about ‘peace,’ then continue shooting, and then blame the victim.
What this changes now
Zelensky’s statement makes Kyiv’s position tougher and clearer for Western partners. Ukraine showed readiness for a ceasefire, but Russia responded with shelling. This strengthens Kyiv’s argument: without pressure, sanctions, military assistance, and accountability for war crimes, any talks with the Kremlin turn into a one-sided game.
The Guardian previously reported on a series of Russian strikes on Ukraine, including attacks on Zaporizhzhia, Kramatorsk, and the Poltava region, where civilians and rescuers were killed. Against this background, Moscow’s talks about a ‘festive truce’ look especially cynical.
For Israel, there is another conclusion here. Ukraine is effectively showing the world how to test an aggressor not by statements, but by actions. If drones, missiles, and shells fly after midnight, then there is no truce. There is only another attempt by the Kremlin to win an informational pause.
That is why Zelensky’s statement sounds not like an emotional remark, but like a political document of the moment. 1820 violations of the silence regime are not statistics for the sake of statistics. This is the answer to the question of whether Putin can be trusted when he talks about a ceasefire.
The answer has already been given on the ground, in the air, and in Ukrainian cities.