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Zelensky confirms Ukraine shot down two Russian fighter jets using seaborne drones, believed to be the first successful strikes of their kind
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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said a ceasefire is possible “even from today” if Vladimir Putin is serious about ending the war.
Mr Zelensky said Russia has for almost two months ignored a US proposal for a full ceasefire.
“We believe that without increased pressure, Russia will not take real practical steps to end the war. Today marks the 54th day that Russia has ignored even the American proposal to completely cease fire,” Mr Zelensky told reporters as he met with Czech president Petr Pavel in Prague yesterday.
“We believe that a ceasefire is possible at any moment, even starting today, and should last at least 30 days to give diplomacy a real chance,” the Ukrainian president said.
Mr Zelensky’s comments came after two Russian fighter jets were confirmed destroyed by Ukrainian sea drones.
Ukraine’s military intelligence said it shot down a Russian Su-30 fighter jet near the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk using a naval drone on Saturday, calling it the world’s first such strike.
Russia also attacked Ukraine with two ballistic missiles overnight, which were not shot down, the Ukrainian military has said.
Of the 116 drones fired by Russia, it said Ukraine’s air defence units shot down 42, while another 21 drones were lost. However, it did not disclose the fate of the remaining 53.
An overnight Russian drone attack hit the regions of Sumy and Donetsk, Ukraine’s military has said.
It noted on Monday that Sumy and Donetsk “suffered as a result of the attack”.
Ukraine’s air defence units shot down 42 of 116 drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack, its air force said this morning.
It said 21 drones were lost – in reference to the Ukrainian military using electronic warfare to redirect them – or they were drone simulators that did not carry warheads.
Czech president Petr Pavel has backed Ukraine and said Russian president Vladimir Putin is yet to show any signs of wanting to end the war in Ukraine.
“If someone has all the cards in their hand to end the war then it is president Putin, who can do it with a single decision,” he told reporters. “But so far the will has not appeared,” he said.
Volodymyr Zelensky, who is accompanied on the trip by first lady Olena Zelenska, meets Czech prime minister Petr Fiala today, with a plan for Ukraine to receive large volumes of Czech ammunition among the topics on the agenda.
The Ukrainian leader said on X on Saturday that he was preparing for upcoming foreign policy meetings focused on helping push Russia into a ceasefire.
The US is sending a fresh round of military aid to Ukraine, including a refurbished Patriot air defence system used in Israel, according to US officials.
Another Patriot missile system from Germany or Greece is also likely to follow with its logistics being discussed, four current and former US officials told the New York Times.
The Times said sources declined to comment on whether the decision came from US president Donald Trump, who has previously been hesitant of helping the war-hit nation.
A White House official declined to share any details. “President Trump has been clear: he wants the war in Ukraine to end and the killing to stop,” said James Hewitt, a spokesperson for the White House’s National Security Council.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping will pay an official visit to Russia from May 7–10, the Kremlin confirmed Sunday.
Mr Xi was already among the leaders set to attend the Victory Day Parade in Moscow on May 9.
The Kremlin said Mr Xi was visiting at the invitation of Russian president Vladimir Putin and, as well as taking part in Victory Day celebrations, the leaders would discuss “further development of relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction” and “issues on the international and regional agenda”.
Mr Putin and Mr Xi will sign a number of bilateral documents, it said.
Russia’s air defence systems destroyed 26 Ukrainian drones overnight, Tass news agency reported today citing Russia’s defence ministry data.
Of these, 17 drones were downed over Bryansk region near the Russia-Ukraine border, five over the Kaluga region and four over Moscow region, the defence ministry said on its Telegram channel.
Ukraine is hoping to receive at least three million shells from its international supporters, Volodymyr Zelensky said during talks in Prague yesterday.
“Russia should know that we are expecting three million artillery shells from our allies. Not only North Korea is capable of helping in the war, we have allies who are helping Ukraine,” Mr Zelensky said.
Of the total three million shells, a Czech ammunition initiative will deliver up to 1.8 million artillery shells to Ukraine by the end of 2025, the country’s president Petr Pavel said on the first day of the Ukrainian president’s visit.
The Czech government has been a strong backer of Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and has led an initiative to supply Ukraine with large-calibre ammunition.
Mr Pavel said in February that Ukraine had received 1.6 million rounds of large-calibre ammunition in the past year.
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has congratulated his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on his re-election.The two had a phone call and agreed to bolster defence and security cooperation, No 10 said yesterday.
“Discussing defence and security, including our shared support for Ukraine, the leaders also agreed to increase ambition on our joint submarine programme, Aukus,” a Downing Steet readout said.
Aukus is a trilateral security partnership shared between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States with an aim to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific along with the defence needs of its partners.
Sir Keir has said he will ask London’s special representative to the Aukus defence project, Stephen Lovegrove, to travel to Australia in the coming weeks to discuss the programme further, the statement added.
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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky says Putin could call ceasefire ‘even today’ if he wanted to – The Independent
