Russia Launches 200-Plus Drone Barrage at Ukraine Hours After Ceasefire Expires

Analysis
Russia's launch of more than 200 drones within hours of the ceasefire's expiry, confirmed by Kremlin spokesman Peskov without equivocation, demonstrates that Moscow treated the 72-hour truce as a Victory Day political gesture rather than a negotiating entry point. The wave also included over 80 aerial bombs and more than 30 front-line airstrikes, indicating Russia maintained full strike readiness throughout the truce period and required no reconstitution time before resuming at pace. Ukraine's foreign minister confirmed Kyiv had proposed extending the ceasefire. Russia's answer was a mass barrage targeting a kindergarten, energy infrastructure, and a residential building in Zelenskyy's hometown, killing an infant's grandparents and severing the child's leg. Russia very likely launches at least one additional drone barrage exceeding 100 drones against Ukraine before May 27. Analytic confidence is high, grounded in three primary outlets independently reporting consistent attack details across six Ukrainian regions, unambiguous Kremlin confirmation of resumed offensive operations, and Russia's established pattern of sustained high-tempo strikes with no precedent for voluntary post-ceasefire restraint.