As the three-day truce Russian president Vladimir Putin odered approaches, Moscow and Kyiv seem to be stepping up their hostilities.
Ahead of the ceasefire proposed for the period between May 8th and May 10th, to coincide with celebrations marking 80 years since Russia’s victory over Nazi Germany, Russia said Ukraine on Tuesday, May 6th, launched more than 100 drones onto the country, including the capital, Moscow. The Ukrainians, meanwhile, said Russia attacked with 136 drones.
Kyiv has warned European Union members state leaders that attending the Moscow Victory Day parade may not be safe. As we reported, the only EU premier who has confirmed attendance is Slovak PM Robert Fico.
However, around 20 world leaders are expected to attend the Red Square parade scheduled for May 9th, including China’s Xi Jinping, who is due to arrive already on Wednesday, May 7th.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defences shot down 19 drones around Moscow and debris fell on a major avenue, without causing injuries.
Flight restrictions were introduced at more than a dozen airports, including four in Moscow, Russian news agencies reported, citing the Federal Air Transport Agency. Traffic at the city’s main Sheremetyevo airport remained largely unaffected.
Drone attacks were also carried out against Voronezh, Penza, and Rylsk in the Kursk region, according to Telegram posts.
Ukrainian officials said at least two people were killed in the country by Russian attacks on Tuesday, in Odessa and Kamatorsk respectively.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday defended Putin’s truce proposition, saying that it “doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a lot, if you knew where we started from.”
