Despite staging a celebratory military parade in Moscow, Russian forces unleashed a wave of strikes against Ukrainian positions on May 9, conducting more than 80 assaults along the entire frontline, according to Ukraine’s General Staff.
Ukrainian military officials described the attacks as a cynical contradiction to the narrative of peace conveyed by Russia during its Victory Day commemorations.
“From the beginning of the day, 80 combat clashes have already been recorded,” the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a statement. “Border settlements have been struck by Russian fire from across the border.”
Multiple towns across Chernihiv and Sumy regions— including Arkhipivka, Mykolaivka, Biloberizka, Baranivka, and Kucherivka— were hit by artillery and air-dropped guided bombs. Sumy’s Boyaro-Lezhachi and Doroshivka were among the communities hit with aerial strikes from Russian warplanes.
In the Kharkiv direction, Ukrainian troops were actively engaged in combat near Vovchansk. Fighting was ongoing as of the midday report. The most intense assaults were seen in the Pokrovsk, Torske, and Novopavlivka directions, where Russian forces carried out dozens of attempts to break Ukrainian defenses.
On the Lyman axis alone, Russian units launched nine separate attacks, while Ukrainian troops continued to resist in the areas of Lypove, Hrekivka, and Zelenaya Dolyna. Elsewhere, fierce fighting persisted near Chasiv Yar, Biloha Hora, and Kurdiumivka.
The General Staff noted that in the Pokrovsk direction, Russia attempted 18 advances early in the day in areas including Oleksandropil, Novotoretske, and Yelyzavetivka. Ukrainian forces reportedly repelled 13 of those efforts, with five clashes still underway.
In the south, the Novopavlivka axis witnessed 18 more Russian attacks across key villages such as Bahatyr and Novopil. In the Dnipro sector, the invaders tried to breach Ukrainian positions four times, with three engagements ongoing.
Ukraine’s military reported that Russian forces launched five airstrikes and dropped at least nine guided aerial bombs since the start of the day, along with 153 artillery barrages.
While Putin salutes troops on Red Square, they are simultaneously firing guided bombs at civilian areas in Sumy.
As of Friday evening, Ukrainian forces remained in control of their positions across all active sectors.