Ukraine reportedly launches dozens of drones at Moscow ahead of Victory Day Parade
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Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin claimed that Ukraine's military launched dozens of drones towards the Russian capital throughout the night on May 8, just one day before Moscow is set to stage its annual Victory Day military parade.
Sobyanin reported the first three downed drones approaching Moscow just after midnight, with a total of 26 downed drones throughout the night. Temporary flight restrictions were introduced at Moscow's Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports amid the reports of drones.
No information was immediately available as to whether any damage was sustained as a result of the attack. Sobyanin said that emergency crews are working in the areas of the downed drones.
The Kyiv Independent cannot verify claimed made by Russian officials.
The attack come one day before Russia observes Victory Day on May 9, which celebrates the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Russia typically uses the occasion to display its military might with large-scale parades in Moscow and demonstrations across the country. In recent years, the celebrations have been an opportunity to spread propaganda justifying Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine.
This year, however, Russia's celebrations have been scaled back — in part due to Ukraine's increased long-range strike capabilities. The Kremlin said it will not display military equipment at this year's event.
The absence of tanks and other heavy equipment — typically a centerpiece of the parade — marks a notable shift for an event where military hardware is ordinarily put on full display.
Despite the change, the ministry said the parade will include a foot column of servicemen from military educational institutions representing various branches of Russia's armed forces, along with an aerial segment.
The latest attack on the Russian capital comes just days after President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 6 that the fate of Russia's May 9 military parade "depends" on Ukraine's army, amid concerns in Moscow over possible attacks during the event.
In response to Zelensky's comments, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on May 6 that Moscow had advised foreign missions accredited in Russia to withdraw personnel from Kyiv because of what she described as an "inevitable retaliatory strike" by Russian forces.
Russia previously announced a ceasefire for May 8-9 ahead of its annual Victory Day celebrations in Moscow. Ukraine responded by proposing its own ceasefire starting at midnight on May 6. Zelensky later said Russia violated the Ukrainian-proposed ceasefire 1,820 times by the morning of May 6, only hours after it took effect.
