Russia has canceled this year's Victory Day parade in the occupied Crimean port city of Sevastopol, Russian state-controlled media reported on May 5.
Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said the Victory Day parade, to be held on May 9 to commemorate the Soviet victory in World War II, would not take place due to safety risks.
On May 9, Russia holds grandiose military parades in celebration of the end of World War II in Europe. Ukraine and most European nations mark May 8 as Victory in Europe Day.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on May 3 said Ukraine cannot guarantee the safety of foreign officials planning to attend Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, warning Russia could orchestrate provocations, including "arsons, explosions, or other actions," and attempt to blame Ukraine.
Russia is responsible for ensuring safety and security on its territory, Zelensky added.
The cancellation follows a reported Ukrainian sea drone strike that destroyed a Russian Su-30 fighter jet near the port of Novorossiysk on May 2, an unprecedented operation described by Ukraine’s military intelligence as the first time a sea drone has downed a jet aircraft. The $50 million jet reportedly crashed into the sea.
Sevastopol, a major naval base on the Black Sea, has been under Russian occupation since the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
(Updated: )
