Ukraine’s president says Kyiv will act “symmetrically” after Russian missile and drone attacks hit energy infrastructure and killed civilians and emergency workers days before Moscow’s proposed 9 May ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of “absolute cynicism” after a wave of overnight missile and drone strikes hit Ukraine, killing at least five people and wounding dozens more, only days before Moscow’s proposed ceasefire for its 9 May Victory Day commemorations.

The 5 May attacks hit several Ukrainian regions, including Poltava, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv, with energy infrastructure among the principal targets. Zelenskyy said four people were killed in Poltava region, among them two rescue workers, while a further 31 were injured. He also reported one death and four injuries in Kharkiv region, as well as further casualties following strikes on Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv regions.

Russian strikes hit Naftogaz gas production facilities in Poltava and Kharkiv regions, killing five people and wounding 37. The dead included three gas company employees and two emergency workers.

Zelenskyy said Russia’s actions contradicted its public calls for a temporary ceasefire linked to Victory Day events in Moscow.

“It is absolute cynicism to ask for silence in order to hold propaganda celebrations, while carrying out such missile and drone strikes on all the days before that,” Zelenskyy said.

He added that Russia could stop firing “every day”, and that such a step would end both the war and Ukraine’s responses.

“Peace is needed, and real steps are needed for that. Ukraine will act symmetrically,” Zelenskyy said.

The comments came after Moscow announced a unilateral ceasefire for 8–9 May, timed to Russia’s annual commemoration of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. President Vladimir Putin had declared a two-day truce to coincide with the Victory Day commemorations, while Zelenskyy responded by announcing Ukraine’s own proposed pause in fighting from the night of 5–6 May.

Kyiv has questioned the credibility of a short ceasefire tied to a Russian public holiday, arguing that any halt in fighting should be based on verifiable military restraint rather than symbolic timing. Zelenskyy said Ukraine had not received any formal proposal setting out the modalities of the ceasefire referred to in Russian public statements.

The Russian Defence Ministry’s announcement followed earlier comments from Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Putin, who said the Russian leader had discussed the issue during a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump. Ukrainian officials have argued that Moscow’s proposal appeared designed to protect its own commemorative events rather than to advance a durable halt to the war.

The 5 May attacks have sharpened that argument. In Poltava region, emergency personnel were reportedly hit while responding to the consequences of an earlier strike. Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly accused Russia of using “double-tap” attacks, in which a second strike hits rescuers, medics or civilians who have arrived at the scene. Moscow has denied deliberately targeting civilians, but Russian missile and drone strikes have repeatedly hit energy sites, residential districts and emergency services since the start of the full-scale invasion.

The damage to energy infrastructure also reflects a continuing Russian strategy of targeting Ukraine’s power and gas systems. Ukrainian officials said critical infrastructure in Dnipropetrovsk region was hit, with injuries and power disruption reported. Naftogaz said production facilities had suffered damage, while local authorities reported service interruptions following the strikes.

Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow has acquired additional security significance because of the threat of Ukrainian long-range drone attacks. The Guardian reported restrictions on mobile internet services in Moscow ahead of the commemorations, apparently linked to concerns over drone activity.

For Ukraine, the central issue is whether Russia observes a genuine halt in attacks. Zelenskyy’s statement that Ukraine will act “symmetrically” indicates that Kyiv is prepared to match a ceasefire if Moscow stops firing, but will continue to respond if Russian strikes continue.

The competing ceasefire declarations now leave both sides presenting different versions of a pause in hostilities. Russia has linked its proposal to the Victory Day period. Ukraine has proposed an earlier halt and says the test will be Russian conduct, not public announcements.

The strikes of 5 May suggest that implementation remains uncertain. They also reinforce Kyiv’s position that a ceasefire cannot be credible while Russian missile and drone attacks continue against Ukrainian energy infrastructure and emergency responders.

First published on eutoday.net.