RUSSIAN drone and missile strikes targeting Ukraine’s power grid overnight killed at least five people and wounded 39 others, Ukrainian authorities said today.

It came hours before Kiev said that it would enact a ceasefire and three days before Moscow promised its own pause in hostilities.

President Volodymyr Zelensky rebuked Moscow for what he said was its “utter cynicism” in launching the attacks after Russia announced a unilateral ceasefire over two days to mark the 81st anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, known as Victory Day.

The proposal follows a pattern of Russia declaring short unilateral ceasefires timed to holidays, most recently Orthodox Easter.

The Russian Defence Ministry declared a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine for Friday and Saturday, but said it would strike back if Ukraine tried to disrupt Victory Day celebrations on May 9.

Mr Zelensky replied that Ukraine would observe a ceasefire beginning at the end of Tuesday and would respond in kind to Russia’s actions.

He did not put an end date on the move.

Ukraine also kept up the pace of its long-range attacks on Russian rear areas, apparently aiming at more oil facilities to further disrupt Moscow’s economy.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said that its forces destroyed 289 Ukrainian drones overnight in 18 Russian regions.

Drones were also intercepted over the Crimean Peninsula and over the Azov Sea, it said.

Ukraine doubled its mid-range strikes on Russia in April compared with March, according to a report from Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, focusing on warehouses, command posts and air defence systems.

It was not possible to independently confirm the claims.