Russia Launches Drone Assault as Ukraine Ceasefire Collapses
Russian forces launched a sweeping drone barrage across Ukraine overnight, striking energy infrastructure in Kharkiv, civilian areas in Sumy, and military positions in the Donetsk sector as a 30-hour bilateral ceasefire brokered by the United States and Brazil collapsed within hours of taking effect.
Ceasefire Crumbles Within Hours of Taking Effect
The short-lived truce, announced jointly by Washington and Brasilia on Monday evening, broke down almost immediately. Within 90 minutes of the ceasefire taking hold at midnight local time, Russian Lancet drones struck three substations in Kharkiv, plunging parts of Ukraine’s second-largest city into darkness, according to the Kharkiv regional military administration. A fourth strike hit a residential district in Sumy, killing one civilian and wounding four others, regional Governor Volodymyr Artyukh said.
Ukraine drone brigades pressed deep into Russian territory overnight, striking an oil depot near Saratov — more than 1,000 kilometers from the front line — and a military airfield in the Orenburg region, according to Ukraine’s security service and military command. “Our brigades did not stop. The enemy used the ceasefire to reposition — we did not give them that chance,” Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said in a statement.
Ukraine Capital Briefly Targeted in Midnight Strike
Air raid sirens sounded across Kyiv at approximately 2:15 a.m. local time as air defense systems engaged incoming Shahed drones. The Ukrainian Air Force said it shot down 18 of 22 drones launched from the south. Debris fell in three districts, causing minor damage to a school and a grocery store but no casualties, Kyiv Military Administration reported. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said city services were mobilizing to clear debris and restore power to affected neighborhoods.
The strikes on Kyiv marked the third consecutive night of attacks on the capital this week, following a period of relative quiet that had allowed residents to return to normal routines. Emergency services responded to four separate fire incidents caused by falling drone debris.
Western Allies Pledge Continued Support as Talks Remain Suspended
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance stood by Ukraine. “The only realistic path to peace runs through strength, not through temporary pauses that one side exploits,” Rutte told reporters in Brussels. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin would accelerate deliveries of Iris-T air defense interceptors, with a new battery expected within two weeks. Polish Prime Minister Radoslaw Sikorski convened an emergency meeting of EU defense ministers via video link for Thursday.
The United States called on both sides to return to the negotiating table but stopped short of threatening to withdraw mediation. “We remain engaged. We expect both parties to show good faith,” a State Department spokesperson said. Brazil’s foreign ministry expressed “grave concern” over the collapse and said President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva would speak directly with Putin and Zelensky this week.
What Happens Next
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Washington would reassess its mediation role if the ceasefire violations continued. “We are not going to keep facilitating talks that produce nothing,” Rubio told reporters at the Pentagon. Brazilian officials said they remained ready to host the next round of negotiations, though no date has been set. Military analysts expect the drone war to intensify regardless of any diplomatic outcome, with both sides increasingly relying on long-range unmanned systems to strike targets deep behind enemy lines.
Russia’s defense ministry acknowledged the overnight strikes but claimed all targets were military installations. It said Ukrainian drones were shot down over four regions and denied any ceasefire violation, saying its forces had the right to respond to what it described as ongoing Ukrainian attacks. The Russian statement made no mention of the bilateral ceasefire agreement announced Monday.
