RUSSIA REFUSES EXTENSION TO KHERSON CEASEFIRE IN UKRAINE

A localised ceasefire in eastern Kherson ended at 22:59 on Sunday after Russia refused an extension, Ukrainian officials said. A Ukrainian official said Kyiv's foreign ministry offered an extension, adding that "the Russians don't want to." US First Lady Melania Trump brokered the truce, which began on Tuesday and enabled a humanitarian mission to Russian-occupied Oleshky. The pause also allowed civilians to evacuate the city. Neither side reported violations during the truce, which one Ukrainian lawmaker called the "biggest de-escalation since 2022".

Fighting continued elsewhere in Ukraine, where regular energy attacks have prompted emergency power cuts and water disruptions, including in Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday overnight strikes hit energy sites in four regions, cutting power to hundreds of thousands of homes, while Dnipropetrovsk's governor said over 60,000 customers remained disconnected on Sunday. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said another overnight strike in Vinnytsia killed two people, including a girl. Zelensky added that Ukraine struck a missile fuel producer in Russia's Rostov region, causing a fire and damaging four production facilities.

Zelensky said Russia sought "maximum advantage of the shortage of ballistic missile interceptors" and noted Ukraine requested Patriot missiles from the US, Europe and other partners "every day". On Sunday evening, Ukraine's Air Force said "hostile interference" probably caused a false Kyiv radiation warning on the Air Alarm application. Kherson gardener Volodymyr Omeltchenko called the truce a "breath of fresh air", and Pope Leo XIV hoped it would "lead to new concrete peace initiatives". A Ukrainian military officer warned fighting would be "worse than before" after Russian forces across the Dnipro river amassed troops, moved ammunition and gathered drone intelligence.