Russia says Ukraine violates ceasefire, Russian forces respond in kind

A Ukrainian firefighter extinguishing a blaze at the site of a Russian air attack, in Kramatorsk, eastern Donetsk region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (FILE/AFP)
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MOSCOW: Russia’s defense ministry said on Friday that Ukraine ​violated a ceasefire announced by Moscow to cover the celebrations of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany.
“Despite ‌the declaration ‌of ​a ‌ceasefire, ⁠Ukrainian ​armed groups continued ⁠to launch attacks using drones and artillery against the positions of our troops, as well ⁠as against civilian targets ‌in ‌the border ​areas of ‌the Belgorod and ‌Kursk regions,” the statement from the ministry said.
“In these circumstances, the ‌Armed Forces of the Russian Federation responded in ⁠kind ⁠to the ceasefire violations. They launched retaliatory strikes against multiple launch rocket systems, artillery and mortar positions. They targeted command posts and UAV launch ​sites.”