A fragile ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine appeared to hold partially on Sunday, as large-scale drone and missile strikes eased for a second consecutive day. However, intense fighting continued across the front lines, underscoring how uncertain and delicate the truce remains.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had significantly reduced long-range aerial attacks since the ceasefire began on Saturday, but accused Moscow of continuing aggressive military operations on the battlefield.
“On the front line, the Russian army is not complying with the ceasefire and is not even really trying to,” Zelensky said, while noting that no major missile or drone barrages had been launched during the day.
The temporary ceasefire was announced after Donald Trump revealed on Friday that Moscow and Kyiv had agreed to suspend all major “kinetic” military operations for three days beginning Saturday. According to Trump, the agreement also included a large-scale prisoner exchange involving 1,000 detainees from each side.
Despite the reduction in aerial attacks, violence on the ground has continued to claim lives and injure civilians. Ukrainian officials said at least nine people were wounded in eastern Ukraine on Sunday, the second day of the ceasefire period.
Data released by Ukraine’s air force suggested that Russian drone attacks had dropped sharply compared to the days before the truce. Overnight, Russia reportedly launched 27 long-range drones — far fewer than previous waves of attacks — and Ukrainian air defence systems claimed to have intercepted all of them.
Still, Ukrainian military officials reported heavy combat across the sprawling 1,200-kilometre frontline. Ukraine’s General Staff said nearly 210 clashes had taken place since Saturday afternoon, indicating that while large-scale airstrikes may have slowed, ground battles remain intense.
Meanwhile, Russia accused Ukraine of repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreement. The Russian defence ministry claimed Kyiv had carried out more than 16,000 violations within 24 hours, including thousands of drone attacks and strikes targeting civilian infrastructure in Russian regions.
Moscow said Ukrainian forces attacked both civilian and military sites, prompting Russian troops to “respond in kind.” Ukrainian authorities, however, rejected the accusations and maintained that Russian troops were continuing offensive operations despite the supposed truce.
The ongoing accusations from both sides have once again highlighted the deep mistrust between the two countries, making hopes for a lasting ceasefire increasingly uncertain.
The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has evolved into Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians are believed to have been killed or injured, while millions have been displaced from their homes.
Efforts led by the United States to broker a broader peace agreement have struggled to gain momentum in recent months. Negotiations reportedly slowed after Washington shifted much of its diplomatic attention toward escalating tensions involving Iran earlier this year.
For now, the ceasefire appears to have reduced the scale of aerial warfare, but the continued clashes along the front line suggest that a permanent peace remains far away.
(With inputs from agencies)
