![A residential area hit by Russian drone strikes in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine yesterday [Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration/ Handout]](https://www.rte.ie/images/00227625-800.jpg)
Ukraine has said Russia has been attacking across the front line, calling Russian President Vladimir Putin's order for a three-day truce supposed to take effect this morning a "farce".
The Russian army said it was responding to Ukrainian attacks but observing the truce, which Mr Putin unilaterally ordered to coincide with a massive parade in Moscow to mark World War II Victory Day.
"Predictably, Putin's 'Parade ceasefire' proves to be a farce," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said.
"Russian forces continue to attack across the entire front line. From midnight to midday, Russia carried out 734 ceasefire violations and 63 assault operations," he said.
Ukraine would respond and share all information with its allies, he added.
Ukraine never agreed to the truce, but Russia accused Ukraine of violating it.
"The Russian Armed Forces are strictly observing the ceasefire. This includes no strikes by aircraft, missile forces, artillery or unmanned aerial vehicles," Russia's defence ministry said in a briefing.
"Despite the announcement of the ceasefire, Ukrainian army units have not ceased hostilities against Russian troops," the ministry said.
Ukraine's air force earlier reported guided bomb strikes on the northern region of Sumy.
"No missile attacks or attack drones were recorded in Ukrainian airspace. However, during the night, the enemy intensified tactical aviation strikes using guided aerial bombs in the Sumy region," the air force said, after reporting several launches in the morning.
Earlier in the day, Russia struck a residential area near the town of Bilopillya, close to the border between Sumy and Russia's Kursk region, Ukraine's emergency services said.
Mr Putin's order for a three-day truce with Ukraine was due to take effect this morning, with world leaders - including China's Xi Jinping, Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Serbia's Aleksandar Vucic - in Russia for commemorations of the end of World War II.
US President Donald Trump has sought to end Russia's three-year military assault on Ukraine since his inauguration in January, but has failed to ease hostilities between the enemies.
Hours before Mr Putin's order was scheduled to enter force, Russia and Ukraine staged aerial attacks, prompting airport closures in Russia and leaving at least two dead in Ukraine.
The Kremlin claimed Russian forces would honour Mr Putin's order for the duration of the holiday, but will respond "immediately" if Ukraine launches any fire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his call for a 30-day ceasefire in his evening address last night.
"We are not withdrawing this proposal, which could give diplomacy a chance. But the world is not seeing any response from Russia," he said.
'Direct negotiation'
Mr Putin announced the truce last month as a "humanitarian" gesture, following pressure from the United States to halt his three-year assault on Ukraine.
The Russian leader rejected a joint US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional ceasefire in March and has since offered only slim contributions to Mr Trump's peace efforts.
Ukraine said it did not believe Russia would adhere to this truce and accused Russia of hundreds of violations during a previous, 30-hour ceasefire ordered by Mr Putin for Easter.
Russia, which launched a full-scale military offensive on Ukraine in 2022, fired over 100 drones and multiple ballistic missiles at its neighbour between late Tuesday and yesterday afternoon, killing a mother and her son, Ukraine said.
The White House has become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress towards a peace deal between the warring sides, despite Mr Trump's efforts.
US Vice President JD Vance called on the two to enter direct talks. "We think it's probably impossible for us to mediate this entirely without at least some direct negotiation between the two," he said.
'Peaceful atmosphere'
Russia will mark Victory Day with a grand parade of military equipment on Red Square, as well as an address from Mr Putin.
More than 20 world leaders are expected in Russia for the 9 May parade.
"Our military and special services are taking all necessary measures to ensure that the celebration of the great victory takes place in a calm, stable and peaceful atmosphere," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
He also said authorities had jammed internet connections ahead of the parade, citing the threat from Ukraine.
"We need to take into account that dangerous neighbourhood that we have," Mr Peskov said, referring to Ukraine.
"As long as guests are here, until 10 May, we need to be ready for restrictions," he added, calling on the public to be understanding.
The Kremlin's forces occupy a fifth of Ukraine and this spring hit the country with a string of deadly attacks on civilian areas.
'Nothing scares us'
Russians from outside Russia visiting the heavily policed capital for the parade appeared unfazed.
"We are from Rostov-on-Don. Nothing scares us," said 22-year-old student Valeria Pavlova.
The southern city serves as a command and logistics hub for the Ukraine offensive and has regularly been targeted.
"It's much calmer here," she added.
But scenes at airports in Russia, Saint Petersburg and other cities were more chaotic.
Read more: Mother and son killed in Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv
Ukraine launched a barrage of drones at Russia earlier in the day, forcing airports to halt traffic with 60,000 people seeing their flights disrupted, according to Russia.
Ukraine's drone attacks disrupted some 350 flights Tuesday and yesterday, Russia's Association of Tour Operators said.
Social media videos showed people sleeping on the floor and airports with rows of over a dozen planes queueing on the tarmac.
Ukraine's airspace has been forced to close since Russia launched its offensive in February 2022.
