Russia and Ukraine trade accusations over air strikes following partial ceasefire agreement

Fresh hostilities erupted in the Russia-Ukraine conflict on Wednesday, with reported air strikes causing infrastructure damage and evacuations despite a recently agreed partial ceasefire.

Russia and Ukraine accused each other on Wednesday of carrying out air attacks that caused fires and infrastructure damage, just hours after President Vladimir Putin agreed to a limited ceasefire in the ongoing conflict.

Putin committed to halting strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure temporarily but stopped short of endorsing a full 30-day ceasefire, which had been proposed as an initial step towards a broader peace agreement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had agreed to the full ceasefire, stated after a call between Putin and President Donald Trump that he would support the limited arrangement. However, he urged the international community to prevent any efforts to prolong hostilities.

Despite the agreement, both sides later reported attacks.

"Russia is attacking civilian infrastructure and people – right now," Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, stated on Telegram overnight.

Officials in Sumy, northeast Ukraine, reported that drone strikes damaged two hospitals, though no casualties were recorded. Patients and medical staff were evacuated as a precaution. Meanwhile, in the Kyiv region, Governor Mykola Kalashnyk confirmed that a drone strike injured a 60-year-old man and damaged several homes. Zelenskyy said that over 40 drones were launched against Ukraine in the hours following the call between Putin and Trump.

In southern Russia’s Krasnodar region, local authorities reported that a drone strike caused a minor fire at an oil depot near the village of Kavkazskaya. The blaze, which affected an area of approximately 20 square metres (215 square feet), led to the evacuation of 30 employees. No injuries were reported, but operations at the facility were suspended.

Additionally, Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, announced the suspension of flights from several airports, including Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, and Nizhnekamsk, as a safety precaution. Although no official reason was provided, similar measures have been taken previously in response to drone activity.

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