Drone Attack on Moscow as City Prepares for Parade with Foreign Leaders
Russia says it has thwarted a drone assault on Moscow just days before the capital hosts a major military parade attended by foreign dignitaries from countries including China and Brazil.
According to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, Russian air defenses intercepted four drones headed for the capital on Monday. The attack appears aimed at disrupting preparations for Victory Day celebrations on May 9, commemorating the end of what Russians call the Great Patriotic War—known internationally as World War II.
President Vladimir Putin has declared a 72-hour unilateral ceasefire starting May 8 to mark the occasion. However, Ukraine has proposed a broader 30-day truce to allow negotiations toward a permanent peace.
Sobyanin stated via Telegram that there were no injuries or damage reported. However, the incident did temporarily suspend flights at Domodedovo Airport. Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, confirmed that operations were paused for about 90 minutes to maintain air safety.
In addition to the Moscow incident, Russian officials reported downing 17 drones over Bryansk region and five over Kaluga.
Kremlin Calls Ceasefire a ‘Humanitarian Gesture’
The Kremlin has described Putin’s ceasefire announcement as a goodwill move, with Russian forces expected to halt operations as leaders such as China’s Xi Jinping, Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Serbia’s Aleksandar Vučić, and Slovakia’s Robert Fico visit Moscow.
Despite the Kremlin’s framing, Russia has rejected a broader 30-day ceasefire proposal that has U.S. backing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Moscow’s truce offer, calling it a ploy to soften Putin’s diplomatic isolation.
“This is not a serious proposal,” Zelenskyy said, accusing Russia of daily attacks even as it calls for a ceasefire. “They want calm just long enough to give Putin a way out on May 9. This is cynicism of the highest order.” He also said Ukraine could not guarantee the safety of any foreign leaders attending the parade, placing the responsibility for security squarely on Russia.
Putin warned in his ceasefire statement that Russian forces would retaliate if attacked during the truce.
Continued Fighting Despite Ceasefire Talk
Despite Russia’s proposed truce, fighting continues on the ground. On Monday, Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting 42 of 116 drones launched by Russia overnight. Kyiv officials said 11 people, including two children, were injured in the capital.
In central Ukraine’s Cherkasy region, one person was wounded and infrastructure sustained damage, emergency services reported.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces reportedly launched strikes into Russia’s western Kursk region—a territory they had briefly held last month before retreating. War bloggers and unofficial sources said Ukrainian troops fired missiles and attempted to breach the border in two locations. No official confirmation was given by either side.
Ukraine’s top commander, Oleksandr Syrsky, said operations in the Kursk area were largely successful. “Our actions disrupted Russian plans for offensives in Sumy and Kharkiv,” he said, adding that Ukraine had established a buffer zone along the border.
Ukrainian forces had hoped their temporary hold in Kursk could serve as leverage in ceasefire negotiations.
Separately, a Ukrainian military blog reported Russian forces making gains near Novodarivka in Zaporizhzhia. The post claimed Russian troops launched 46 attacks, using two infantry companies supported by over 75 motorcycles. It said around 90 Russian troops were killed and 45 wounded, though the figures could not be independently verified.
Comments
Post a Comment