Kyiv accused Moscow of breaching its own ceasefire on Thursday, saying Russian forces struck hundreds of times along the front lines and launched guided bombs that killed and wounded civilians in several Ukrainian cities.

Russia is expected to begin a self-declared three-day pause in fighting against Ukraine on Wednesday night, in a move derided by many Ukrainians and described by President Volodymyr Zelensky as little more than a "theatrical show".

Ukrainian forces are reported to have launched a new incursion into Russia's Kursk border region, where Kyiv officials had hoped to gain leverage in peace negotiations. Russian military Telegram channels reported that Ukrainian troops breached the Russian border near the village of Tetkino.