RUSSIAN STRIKES KILL AT LEAST 22 IN UKRAINE AS CEASEFIRE TENSIONS RISE AHEAD OF COMPETING PAUSES IN FIGHTING. (PHOTO).

 Russian strikes kill at least 22 in Ukraine as ceasefire tensions rise ahead of competing pauses in fighting

  Russian drone and missile strikes across Ukraine killed at least 22 people and wounded more than 80 others, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday, as both Kyiv and Moscow prepared competing ceasefire declarations amid continued escalation on the battlefield.

The deadliest attacks came during the afternoon, when Russian glide bombs struck the cities of Kramatorsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Chernihiv, killing at least 17 civilians and injuring 45 others. Separate overnight strikes killed five more people and left dozens wounded, according to authorities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks as “utter cynicism,” pointing to Moscow’s announcement of a unilateral ceasefire planned later in the week to coincide with Victory Day commemorations marking the end of World War II in Europe.

“Russia could cease fire at any moment, and this would stop the war and our responses,” Zelenskyy said, adding that Ukraine would respond in kind to any actions taken from that point forward.

Russia’s defense ministry said it planned a temporary ceasefire for Friday and Saturday but warned it would respond if Ukraine disrupted the observances. Kyiv has also announced its own ceasefire plan beginning Tuesday evening, though no end date was specified.

The exchange of ceasefire proposals comes amid repeated short-term pauses declared during the war, which have largely failed to produce lasting reductions in fighting.

On the battlefield, Russian forces launched a large-scale overnight assault using ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones, targeting infrastructure across Ukraine. Air defenses intercepted most of the incoming weapons, though some struck critical energy facilities.

Ukraine’s state energy sector reported repeated damage to natural gas production sites, part of what officials say is an ongoing campaign against the country’s power grid. Authorities said energy, transport, and industrial infrastructure have been among the main targets, along with residential areas.

Zelenskyy described one strike on the Poltava region as especially severe, saying Russian forces launched a follow-up missile while rescue crews were responding to the scene.

Ukrainian officials said Russia’s ceasefire announcements “remain only statements,” citing continued strikes across multiple regions.

At the same time, Ukraine has continued long-range attacks on Russian territory, targeting industrial and energy infrastructure. Russia’s defense ministry said hundreds of Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight across multiple regions, including areas near the Black Sea and occupied Crimea.

Ukrainian forces also reported strikes on facilities in Russia’s interior, including military-industrial sites and an oil refinery, some of which caused fires and minor injuries, according to regional officials.

Ukraine has also expanded its use of midrange strikes and unmanned ground systems, which officials say are increasingly used for logistics and battlefield support deep behind front lines. Russia has not independently confirmed Ukraine’s reported figures.

As both sides continue trading strikes, diplomatic efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire remain stalled, with neither party showing signs of de-escalation despite renewed international pressure.