Ahead of the 80th anniversary of Russia's victory in World War II (Victory Day, May 9), Ukraine attempted a large-scale drone attack on Moscow. Russia is preparing a grand Victory Day celebration, inviting leaders from 29 countries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to Russian news agency TASS, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported on the 7th (local time) that 9 Ukrainian drones were shot down by air defense systems over Moscow.
He explained that 19 drones flying towards Moscow were destroyed the previous day, and an additional 8 drones were shot down over the Moscow region surrounding Moscow in the evening. The Ministry of National Defense also announced that it had shot down 105 Ukrainian drones across 11 regions.
Ukraine's drone attacks occurred just before the arrival of international leaders invited to the Victory Day celebrations, including President Xi. Xi is visiting Russia from the 8th to the 10th, and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is also arriving in Russia on the same day.
Major airports near Moscow, including Sheremetyevo, temporarily suspended operations on that morning. Russian airlines, including Aeroflot, canceled flights or changed routes.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a temporary ceasefire for three days from the 8th to the 10th in line with Victory Day, but Ukraine has raised questions about the sincerity of the ceasefire declaration.
Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, emphasized during a briefing that “the president's proposal for a ceasefire remains valid.” However, he warned that if Ukraine attacks Russia during the ceasefire, there would be an immediate response.
Ukraine also reported being subjected to Russian airstrikes. According to AFP, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on social media that Russia launched 4 ballistic missiles and 142 drones towards Kyiv, resulting in 2 fatalities in Kyiv.