If you were holding your breath hoping Russia's ceasefire would quietly extend into something resembling peace, you can exhale now - and maybe cry a little. According to BBC News, Russian drone attacks killed at least 13 people in Ukraine on Wednesday, almost immediately after Moscow's self-declared 72-hour ceasefire window slammed shut.

The strikes hit multiple regions across Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warning citizens that these were not isolated incidents but the opening salvo of "more waves" of Russian attacks expected throughout the day. Nothing says "we tried diplomacy" quite like a pre-announced bombardment schedule.

A ceasefire that ceasefired nothing

Russia had declared the truce unilaterally - a move that Ukraine and Western allies greeted with roughly the same level of enthusiasm as finding out your dentist appointment is actually a root canal. Ukrainian officials repeatedly warned that Russian forces used the pause to regroup and resupply rather than engage in any genuine de-escalation.

And lo and behold: the ink wasn't even dry on the ceasefire's expiry before the drones started flying.

The attacks targeted civilian and infrastructure sites, a grim pattern that has become tragically routine since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Ukrainian air defense units worked to intercept incoming drones, though as the death toll confirms, not all of them were stopped.

The geopolitical backdrop

The ceasefire had come amid renewed international pressure for both sides to move toward negotiations, with U.S. officials pushing for a broader diplomatic framework. Russia's swift return to offensive operations raises serious questions - mainly, what exactly was the point of the ceasefire besides a PR exercise that fooled approximately nobody.

Zelensky's government has consistently argued that temporary truces without concrete security guarantees only benefit Russia by giving its military breathing room. Wednesday's events are unlikely to change that calculus.

What comes next

With Zelensky himself flagging additional strike waves, Ukrainian civilians and defense forces were bracing for a rough Wednesday. International observers and Western governments were monitoring the situation, though "monitoring" at this point feels like watching a house fire with binoculars and tutting.

The situation remains fluid, dangerous, and deeply grim - much like every other Wednesday since 2022.

Source: BBC News