Russia Rejects Air Truce as Trump Envoys Head to Moscow and Kyiv

Russian forces continued strikes against Ukraine on September 5 despite Kyiv’s proposal to suspend aerial attacks during a visit by US President Donald Trump’s envoys to Moscow and Kyiv, while the Ukrainian military said combat operations would continue unless any ceasefire was reciprocal.

Russia’s Defense Ministry acknowledged carrying out strikes in several Ukrainian regions overnight on September 5 and claimed Russian air defenses intercepted 53 Ukrainian drones.

Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 167 attack drones overnight, including Shahed- and Gerbera-type UAVs, along with Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles targeting Kyiv. Ukrainian forces said 128 drones were intercepted or suppressed, while missile and drone strikes were recorded at 23 locations.

The attacks followed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s announcement on September 4 that Ukraine would refrain from aerial strikes while Trump representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner travel for negotiations.

“From our side, there will be no air strikes, and Russia must reciprocally ensure silence without its air strikes for the time needed to conduct these negotiations and resolve the logistical issues related to this American visit,” Zelenskyy said.

Read more

Category

War in Ukraine

Ukraine’s Defense Forces Reportedly Ordered to Temporarily Observe Silence Along Front Line

Sep 05, 2026 00:07

Ukraine’s Armed Forces separately said fighting along the front was continuing amid conflicting reports about a broader temporary ceasefire.

“The ceasefire cannot be unilateral or asymmetric, otherwise it would pose a danger to the lives and health of servicemen. Therefore, the tasks of the defensive operation are currently being carried out in full,” the Ukrainian military’s Main Communications Directorate said, according to Ukrainska Pravda on September 5.

Dmytro Filatov, commander of Ukraine’s 1st Separate Assault Regiment, told Suspilne that forces had been ordered not to conduct strikes at operational depth, while no tactical-level restrictions had been introduced in his unit.

Ukrainska Pravda had earlier reported that Ukrainian units may have received instructions to observe a temporary pause from September 5 through September 8.

Separately, the IAEA said a localized ceasefire around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant took effect on September 5 to allow repairs to an external power line. The agency said it is the seventh such ceasefire arranged by Director General Rafael Grossi to support nuclear safety at the plant.

Earlier, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, said US-mediated talks with Russia could resume in late September, potentially starting with a Kyiv visit by Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. He added that realistic conditions for a ceasefire were unlikely before spring 2027.

Protect Ukrainian Skies

Subscribe to Sky Defense