Budanov Says Putin Ignored Ukraine’s Ceasefire Proposal

On September 5, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, revealed that Russia had ignored a ceasefire proposal aimed at coinciding with the visit of US diplomatic envoys to Moscow and Kyiv. In an interview with Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne, Budanov stated that the proposal was sent directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The plan called for a temporary cessation of both aerial assaults and frontline combat operations. Budanov expressed disappointment over Russia's lack of response and the ongoing hostilities, noting that Russian drones continued to launch attacks on Ukrainian soil. Despite the relentless strikes, he speculated that Russian forces might refrain from targeting Kyiv during the US envoys' arrival on Sunday, September 6.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) confirmed on Saturday morning that military operations continued unabated following Russia's refusal to accept the mutual ceasefire proposed for September 5 through September 9. The AFU General Staff explained that a unilateral ceasefire would be impractical due to the operational risks it poses to military personnel, maintaining that defensive tasks were being carried out as planned.

The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed its refusal to adhere to the temporary truce, releasing a report detailing their overnight combined strikes across Ukraine. These nighttime operations included a ballistic missile attack on an industrial facility in Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk region, resulting in five deaths and five injuries.

Simultaneously, Russian forces conducted consecutive drone strikes on an Epicenter shopping center in Mykolaiv, causing two civilian casualties and igniting a significant fire.