Ukraine says Russia attacking across 'entire front' despite Putin's truce order

KYIV: Ukraine said Russia was attacking across the front line on Thursday, calling Russian President Vladimir Putin's order for a three-day truce supposed to take effect on Thursday morning a "farce".The Russian army said it was responding to Ukrainian attacks but observing the truce, which Putin unilaterally ordered to coincide with a massive parade in Moscow to mark World War II Victory Day."Predictably, Putin's 'Parade ceasefire' proves to be a farce," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said."Russian forces continue to attack across the entire front line. From midnight to midday, Russia carried out 734 ceasefire violations and 63 assault operations," he said.Ukraine would respond and share all information with its allies, he added.Kyiv never agreed to the truce, but Russia accused Ukraine of violating it."The Russian Armed Forces are strictly observing the ceasefire. This includes no strikes by aircraft, missile forces, artillery or unmanned aerial vehicles," Russia's defence ministry said in a briefing."Despite the announcement of the ceasefire, Ukrainian army units have not ceased hostilities against Russian troops," the ministry said.Ukraine's air force earlier reported guided bomb strikes on the northern region of Sumy."No missile attacks or attack drones were recorded in Ukrainian airspace. However, during the night, the enemy intensified tactical aviation strikes using guided aerial bombs in the Sumy region," the air force said, after reporting several launches in the morning.Earlier in the day, Russia struck a residential area near the town of Bilopillya, close to the border between Sumy and Russia's Kursk region, Ukraine's emergency services said.