Russian drone and missile strikes targeting Ukraine’s power grid during the night killed at least five people and wounded 39 others, according to Ukrainian authorities. The bombardment occurred on Tuesday, less than a day before Kyiv announced it would enact a unilateral ceasefire and three days before Moscow promised its own pause in hostilities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes, characterizing them as an act of "utter cynicism" by Moscow. "Russia could cease fire at any moment, and this would stop the war and our responses," Zelenskyy stated on X. "Peace is needed, and real steps are needed to achieve it. Ukraine will act in kind."
Moscow’s planned ceasefire is scheduled for Friday and Saturday to coincide with the 81st anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, known as Victory Day. The Russian Defense Ministry warned that it reserves the right to strike back if Ukraine attempts to disrupt the May 9 festivities. Reports from Al Jazeera indicate the exchange was not one-sided, noting that Ukraine targeted sites in Moscow following the Russian strike on a Ukrainian gas production facility.
Beyond the immediate combat, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reported that Egypt has permitted the vesselAsomatosto unload 26,900 tonnes of wheat at the port of Abu Qir. Kyiv alleges the cargo is stolen Ukrainian grain, marking the fourth such incident since April. Sybiha stated that the Ukrainian Prosecutor General had sent an official request for legal assistance to Egypt's Ministry of Justice four days prior to the unloading, providing evidence that the cargo was exported by the sanctioned company Agro-Fregat via occupied Crimea.
"Ukraine is a country that has played the role of a reliable food security guarantor for Egypt for many years – and we don't understand why Egyptian partners pay us back by continuing to accept stolen Ukrainian grain," Sybiha wrote on X. He urged Egyptian authorities to seize the cargo, asserting that "looting is not trade, and complicity only fuels further aggression."
Amid these developments, President Zelenskyy traveled to Bahrain on Tuesday to meet with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. During the visit, Zelenskyy proposed a bilateral drone defense partnership, offering to share Ukraine’s air defense expertise. The Ukrainian leader drew parallels between the threats posed by Iranian-developed drones in the Gulf and their daily use against Ukrainian territory.
