Russian forces attacked Ukraine with a ballistic missile and dozens of strike drones from Friday night to Saturday morning, May 9, resulting in civilian fatalities just as a temporary ceasefire was slated to begin.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched one Iskander-M ballistic missile and 43 drones of various types, including Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas, and “Parody” decoy drones. As of 8 a.m. local time, air defense units had neutralized 34 drones across the southern, northern, and eastern regions of the country.
However, the attack resulted in missile and drone strikes at six separate locations, while falling debris and downed targets affected two additional areas.
Fatalities in Chernihiv region
The State Emergency Service (DSNS) reported a deadly strike in the Chernihiv region. Late Friday evening, a drone attack on an agricultural enterprise in a border village in the Novhorod-Siverskyi district sparked a fire.
A 70-year-old man and his 49-year-old son were killed in the strike, while a 55-year-old man sustained injuries. Emergency crews have since extinguished the blaze.
The Air Force clarified that the broader Russian aerial operation began at 6 p.m. on May 8 local time. Officials did not specify whether strikes were recorded after midnight, when a three-day ceasefire brokered by the US was officially set to take effect across Ukraine.
Ceasefire and Prisoner
The current security situation remains fragile as Kyiv and Moscow entered a planned humanitarian pause from May 9 to May 11. The ceasefire was designed to coincide with a major prisoner exchange involving 1,000 detainees on each side.
President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that the return of Ukrainian prisoners remains a top priority, stating that “Red Square is less important to us than the lives of Ukrainian POWs.”
As part of the diplomatic arrangement, Zelensky signed a formal decree excluding Moscow’s Red Square from Ukraine’s military target list during the Victory Day parade, which begins at 10 a.m. local time on Saturday. The order designated specific coordinates around the parade area as off-limits for Ukrainian weapons to ensure the safety of the event and the success of the humanitarian exchange.
The prisoner swap, if completed, would be one of the largest since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Ukrainian officials have reiterated that their military posture continues to follow a principle of reciprocity, depending on whether Russia adheres to its commitments during the truce period.