From: Transform Ukraine By Douglas Landro / May 9, 2025
As Xi Jinping Arrives in Moscow for Talks with Putin, Russia’s Unilateral Ceasefire Shatters with Hundreds of Front Line Violations While Ukraine Ratifies Landmark US Minerals Deal
Summary of the Day – May 8, 2025
Russia’s unilateral Victory Day ceasefire collapsed as Ukrainian officials documented over 700 violations across the front lines, with guided bomb strikes killing civilians in Sumy Oblast and 117 combat clashes reported by day’s end. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin, strengthening their alliance with a joint statement condemning “Western hegemony.” President Zelensky spoke with Trump, reiterating Ukraine’s readiness for a full 30-day ceasefire rather than Russia’s three-day pause. The Ukrainian parliament ratified the US-Ukraine minerals deal with overwhelming support, while the European Parliament passed a resolution condemning Russia’s deportation of Ukrainian children as a “genocidal strategy.” Ukraine also received 1 billion euros from the EU under the G7’s Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration initiative, secured by proceeds from frozen Russian assets.
Russia’s Ceasefire Violations: Hundreds of Attacks Across Ukraine
Russia’s self-declared Victory Day “humanitarian ceasefire” collapsed within hours of its implementation at midnight on May 8. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha revealed that by noon, Russian forces had committed 734 ceasefire violations, including 63 assault operations, 176 drone strikes, and 10 air strikes using guided bombs.
“Predictably, Putin’s ‘Parade ceasefire’ proves to be a farce,” Sybiha wrote on social media. “We are responding appropriately to all attacks and sharing all relevant information about Russia’s violations with the US, the EU, and other international organizations.”
The first violations were reported at 2:45 a.m. when Russia struck the Sumy region with guided aerial bombs. Approximately 15 minutes later, another attack in the same region killed a 55-year-old woman and injured her 24-year-old son. Ukraine’s General Staff reported that by the end of the day, Ukrainian forces had faced 117 combat clashes across the front, with most battles occurring in Donetsk Oblast, where Russian troops launched 41 assaults on the Pokrovsk front alone.
In Kharkiv Oblast, three women aged 18, 30, and 58 were injured when a Russian FPV drone struck their car. According to Viacheslav Zadorenko, head of the Dergachiv Military Administration, the women had believed the ceasefire was genuine and had gone to their garden to plant potatoes when they were attacked.
“There is no ceasefire. There is shelling, artillery, drone and FPV bomb drops,” said Petro Kuzyk, a battalion commander with the National Guard, describing the situation across Ukraine’s defensive lines.
Xi-Putin Summit: Strategic Partnership Strengthens in Moscow
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on May 8 for a four-day state visit, meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in a display of deepening cooperation between the two countries.
Voice of Ukraine 