Zelenskyy vows reciprocal response if Russia restarts massive strikes
Volodymyr Zelenskyy (photo: facebook.com/zelenskyy.official)
Ukraine has refrained from long-range operations for two days, as Russia has not launched massive attacks. However, if Moscow returns to full-scale warfare, Kyiv will respond in kind, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
"It is encouraging that, as of now, there have been no massive attacks today — no missile strikes or air strikes. But in frontline communities, there has been no calm. Russians continue their assault activity in the directions that are key for them. There have been shelling incidents and drone strikes of various types at the front," he stated.
Zelenskyy noted that over the past two days, there have been more than 150 assault actions, over 100 shelling incidents, and nearly 10,000 kamikaze drone strikes.
"This means that on the front line, the Russian army does not observe any ceasefire and does not even really try. All our Ukrainian units are acting in a reciprocal manner, defending our positions exactly as needed," he said.
The president also reported that over the past two days, Ukraine has refrained from long-range strikes in response to the absence of massive attacks from Russia.
Zelenskyy said Kyiv will continue to respond symmetrically, but if Russia resumes long-range strikes, Ukraine's response will be immediate.
"In the future, we will continue to respond in kind. And if the Russians decide to return to full-scale war, our sanctions will be immediate and noticeable. Distance matters less and less — we have already shown that with our long-range capabilities. Ukraine always acts clearly and honestly in this regard," he concluded.
#Zelenskyy: If #Russia resumes massive attacks, #Ukraine will respond in kind pic.twitter.com/a3YHU1dlA9
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) May 10, 2026
Background
Earlier this week, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced a ceasefire for May 8 and 9. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed not waiting for those dates and instead initiating a ceasefire on May 6, which Russia ultimately violated. As a result, Ukraine responded in kind on May 7 and 8.
By the evening of May 8, US President Donald Trump announced that, at his request, Ukraine and Russia had agreed on a three-day ceasefire for May 9, 10, and 11.
Then, Zelenskyy confirmed Trump's statement and announced that, in addition to the ceasefire, a prisoner swap in a 1,000-for-1,000 format would take place. The president also issued an order allowing Russia to hold a parade in Moscow, removing Red Square from the Ukrainian list of potential targets.
Shortly afterward, Donald Trump spoke with journalists and did not rule out extending the ceasefire.
