A wounded Ukrainian serviceman and his family were seen walking next to military vehicles on display in Kyiv on Saturday, amid ongoing tensions despite a declared ceasefire. Both Moscow and Kyiv traded accusations of violating the three-day truce, though no major strikes were reported.
Ceasefire Violations and Attacks
According to the Ukrainian military general staff, the number of attacks by Russian forces reached 51 since the beginning of the day. Volodymyr Petrov, from the 33rd separate mechanised brigade in the eastern Kharkiv region, told Agence France-Presse that while the ceasefire is ongoing, Russian forces continued to attack with drones and artillery. He added that Ukrainian forces were responding in kind.
Local authorities reported that Russian drones killed two civilians and wounded three in Ukraine's central-eastern Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions. In Russia's western Belgorod region, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov stated that three people were wounded by Ukrainian drone strikes. Notably, no attacks were recorded during Russia's scaled-back Victory Day parade on Red Square.
The Russian defence ministry claimed that Ukrainian armed groups launched attacks using drones and artillery against their troops' positions, despite the ceasefire declaration. However, they did not provide the exact number of violations on Saturday. Casualties were reported on both sides as Moscow and Kyiv continued to exchange drone strikes.
Putin's Remarks on War's End
Vladimir Putin suggested that the Ukraine war is winding down, remarks made hours after vowing to defeat Ukraine at Moscow's most scaled-back Victory Day parade in years. He stated, "I think that the matter is coming to an end," referring to the Russia-Ukraine war, Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.
Putin expressed willingness to negotiate new security arrangements for Europe, naming Germany's former chancellor Gerhard Schröder as his preferred negotiating partner. Many in Europe view Schröder with scepticism due to his close ties to Putin and history of business connections with Russia. In 2022, after the war broke out, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Schröder "disgusting" for meeting with Putin and speaking in his favour.
Security and Parade
Pjotr Sauer reported that Moscow was under heavy security on Saturday, with internet services switched off across the city. This followed a week of long-range drone and missile strikes by Ukraine that rattled the Kremlin, forcing organisers to strip the Victory Day parade of its usual pageantry. The customary display of missiles and armoured vehicles, a fixture since 2017, was entirely absent. Instead, guests were shown a video showcasing Russian drones and nuclear weapons. The audience included only a small delegation of foreign leaders from Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, who watched as a column of North Korean soldiers marched across the square.
Prisoner Swap Stalemate
Putin stated on Saturday that Russia has not received any proposals from Ukraine regarding a prisoner swap announced as part of the ceasefire. He said, "We are counting on the Ukrainian side to respond to the proposal made by the president of the United States. Unfortunately, we still have not received any proposals so far."
