If Vladimir Putin gets his way, May 9 will be a beautiful day of pomp, circumstance and patriotism as Russia celebrates the Soviet Union's triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II . But his opposite number in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky , has begun sowing fears in the Russian capital that Friday's 'Victory Day' proceedings may not end well. An attack by two drones flying toward Moscow was foiled by Russian air defence systems on Tuesday evening, the city's mayor reported on Telegram, as the capital remains on edge ahead of Friday's celebrations.

If Vladimir Putin gets his way, May 9 will be a beautiful day of pomp, circumstance and patriotism as Russia celebrates the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II . But his opposite number in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky , has begun sowing fears in the Russian capital that Friday’s ‘Victory Day’ proceedings may not end well. An attack by two drones flying toward Moscow was foiled by Russian air defence systems on Tuesday evening, the city’s mayor reported on Telegram, as the capital remains on edge ahead of Friday’s celebrations.

Previous Victory Day festivities have seen thousands of military servicemen march through Moscow 's Red Square flanked by armoured vehicles, tanks and even nuclear weapons as Russia's President and his inner circle watch on. This year's procession is expected to be even grander to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of what Russians refer to as 'Great Patriotic War', such was the level of sacrifice required to defeat Hitler. The effort to defeat the Nazis - in which some 26 million Soviets perished - plays a hugely important role in the Russian collective consciousness and is leveraged by Putin and the Kremlin to maximise support for today's war in Ukraine.

Previous Victory Day festivities have seen thousands of military servicemen march through Moscow ‘s Red Square flanked by armoured vehicles, tanks and even nuclear weapons as Russia’s President and his inner circle watch on. This year’s procession is expected to be even grander to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of what Russians refer to as ‘Great Patriotic War’, such was the level of sacrifice required to defeat Hitler. The effort to defeat the Nazis – in which some 26 million Soviets perished – plays a hugely important role in the Russian collective consciousness and is leveraged by Putin and the Kremlin to maximise support for today’s war in Ukraine.

That Victory Day unfolds without a hitch is so vital for the Kremlin that the Russian President even declared a three-day ceasefire in his war on Ukraine from May 8-10 in an attempt to safeguard the celebrations. All mobile networks and internet data transmissions will also be cut off in central Moscow for several hours on May 9 as an extra security measure. But Zelensky, whose people have been indiscriminately targeted by Russia's missiles and killer drones for more than three years, has roundly rejected the measly armistice offer and warned that Moscow could be under threat from aerial strikes.

That Victory Day unfolds without a hitch is so vital for the Kremlin that the Russian President even declared a three-day ceasefire in his war on Ukraine from May 8-10 in an attempt to safeguard the celebrations. All mobile networks and internet data transmissions will also be cut off in central Moscow for several hours on May 9 as an extra security measure. But Zelensky, whose people have been indiscriminately targeted by Russia’s missiles and killer drones for more than three years, has roundly rejected the measly armistice offer and warned that Moscow could be under threat from aerial strikes.

As if to prove his point, Ukraine overnight unleashed a wave of more than 100 drones over Western Russia, forcing closures or flight cancellations at all four Moscow airports even as Russian servicemen and women conduct rehearsal drills ahead of the big day. 'Our position is very simple for all countries travelling to Russia on May 9: We cannot be held responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,' he said, adding Putin was 'playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere' for the parade. Around 20 leaders are expected to attend the festivities in Moscow on Friday, including China's Xi Jinping, who is set to touch down in the Russian capital tomorrow.

As if to prove his point, Ukraine overnight unleashed a wave of more than 100 drones over Western Russia, forcing closures or flight cancellations at all four Moscow airports even as Russian servicemen and women conduct rehearsal drills ahead of the big day. ‘Our position is very simple for all countries travelling to Russia on May 9: We cannot be held responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,’ he said, adding Putin was ‘playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere’ for the parade. Around 20 leaders are expected to attend the festivities in Moscow on Friday, including China’s Xi Jinping, who is set to touch down in the Russian capital tomorrow.

But on the eve of Xi's arrival, 136 drones were sent soaring over the Ukrainian border to rain down on Russian targets, forcing air defences to spring into action and raising speculation over the safety of this week's festivities. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defences shot down 19 drones around the greater metropolitan area and flight restrictions were introduced at more than a dozen airports, including four in Moscow. Some damage was reported, with Russian media broadcasting images of a cracked supermarket window and a blackened residential building facade in the capital after chunks of debris hailed down on city streets, though no casualties were reported.

But on the eve of Xi’s arrival, 136 drones were sent soaring over the Ukrainian border to rain down on Russian targets, forcing air defences to spring into action and raising speculation over the safety of this week’s festivities. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defences shot down 19 drones around the greater metropolitan area and flight restrictions were introduced at more than a dozen airports, including four in Moscow. Some damage was reported, with Russian media broadcasting images of a cracked supermarket window and a blackened residential building facade in the capital after chunks of debris hailed down on city streets, though no casualties were reported.

The governors of Voronezh and Penza went on to say that 18 and 10 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted in their regions respectively. Last night's drone assault by Kyiv marked the second successive day that Russian air defences were forced to intervene to prevent significant damage. Putin last month ordered a three-day truce to coincide with Victory Day while declaring that Kyiv wanted the war to continue. But Ukraine, which along with the United States has been pushing for a full 30-day ceasefire for peace negotiations, ridiculed the move as a 'trick' and 'cynical' - a sentiment shared by many analysts.

The governors of Voronezh and Penza went on to say that 18 and 10 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted in their regions respectively. Last night’s drone assault by Kyiv marked the second successive day that Russian air defences were forced to intervene to prevent significant damage. Putin last month ordered a three-day truce to coincide with Victory Day while declaring that Kyiv wanted the war to continue. But Ukraine, which along with the United States has been pushing for a full 30-day ceasefire for peace negotiations, ridiculed the move as a ‘trick’ and ‘cynical’ – a sentiment shared by many analysts.

'The Kremlin wants a ceasefire for those days because it can't suitably defend airspace from Ukrainian drones and they want a smooth 80th anniversary victory day parade,' said Dara Massicot, Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank focusing on Russian defence. Zelensky, who said Putin was merely ' playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere' for Victory Day parades with his brief ceasefire, has refused to comply and is pushing for a full month-long pause to hostilities. Last week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow that Putin supports the initiative to establish a lasting ceasefire but said the conflict in Ukraine was 'too complicated' to end quickly.

‘The Kremlin wants a ceasefire for those days because it can’t suitably defend airspace from Ukrainian drones and they want a smooth 80th anniversary victory day parade,’ said Dara Massicot, Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank focusing on Russian defence. Zelensky, who said Putin was merely ‘ playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere’ for Victory Day parades with his brief ceasefire, has refused to comply and is pushing for a full month-long pause to hostilities. Last week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow that Putin supports the initiative to establish a lasting ceasefire but said the conflict in Ukraine was ‘too complicated’ to end quickly.

'Before going for (a full ceasefire), a whole series of questions need to be answered and a whole series of nuances need to be resolved,' he said. The disheartening declaration came days after the Kremlin rejected a seven-point plan to end the war set out by the US that would recognise Moscow's control of Crimea and effectively freeze the frontline in place. Sergei Lavrov, Russia's veteran Foreign Minister, said in late April that the Kremlin would only accept a ceasefire if various strict terms are met.

‘Before going for (a full ceasefire), a whole series of questions need to be answered and a whole series of nuances need to be resolved,’ he said. The disheartening declaration came days after the Kremlin rejected a seven-point plan to end the war set out by the US that would recognise Moscow’s control of Crimea and effectively freeze the frontline in place. Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s veteran Foreign Minister, said in late April that the Kremlin would only accept a ceasefire if various strict terms are met.

These include the removal of Zelensky and what he called Ukraine's 'neo-Nazi' regime, international recognition of Russian sovereignty over the four annexed Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, and a restriction on the size of Ukraine's army, among other measures. While Russian political and military officials make final preparations to defend Moscow for Victory Day, Ukrainian troops are also forging a new incursion into Russia's border region of Kursk. Ukraine's forces launched a lightning offensive on Kursk last summer and occupied it for several months before being all but expelled in March following a months-long counter-effort by Putin's troops.

These include the removal of Zelensky and what he called Ukraine’s ‘neo-Nazi’ regime, international recognition of Russian sovereignty over the four annexed Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, and a restriction on the size of Ukraine’s army, among other measures. While Russian political and military officials make final preparations to defend Moscow for Victory Day, Ukrainian troops are also forging a new incursion into Russia’s border region of Kursk. Ukraine’s forces launched a lightning offensive on Kursk last summer and occupied it for several months before being all but expelled in March following a months-long counter-effort by Putin’s troops.

But yesterday morning, reports emerged of fresh conflict in the embattled territory. Russian war bloggers said opposing troops had fired missiles, crossed minefields and smashed through border defences in Kursk overnight into Monday. 'The enemy blew up bridges with rockets at night and launched an attack with armoured groups in the morning,' respected war blogging channel 'RVvoenkor' wrote on Telegram. 'The mine clearance vehicles began to make passages in the minefields, followed by armoured vehicles with troops. There is a heavy battle going on at the border.' Kursk's acting governor Alexander Khinshtein said an attack was also carried out on an electrical substation in the city of Rylsk late Monday, wounding two teenagers.

But yesterday morning, reports emerged of fresh conflict in the embattled territory. Russian war bloggers said opposing troops had fired missiles, crossed minefields and smashed through border defences in Kursk overnight into Monday. ‘The enemy blew up bridges with rockets at night and launched an attack with armoured groups in the morning,’ respected war blogging channel ‘RVvoenkor’ wrote on Telegram. ‘The mine clearance vehicles began to make passages in the minefields, followed by armoured vehicles with troops. There is a heavy battle going on at the border.’ Kursk’s acting governor Alexander Khinshtein said an attack was also carried out on an electrical substation in the city of Rylsk late Monday, wounding two teenagers.

'As a result of the attack on the city, two transformers were damaged, and the power was completely cut off,' he wrote on Telegram. He went on to confirm that three people died in Kursk as a result of Ukraine's new offensive. 'A Ukrainian FPV-drone attacked a Lada Largus car... unfortunately as a result of the hit two women were killed,' the governor said, adding that a 53-year-old man died in a separate incident. Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said yesterday that despite being pushed back from Kursk earlier this year, his forces had achieved 'most' of its goals in showing its capabilities and preventing Russia from launching offensives elsewhere.

‘As a result of the attack on the city, two transformers were damaged, and the power was completely cut off,’ he wrote on Telegram. He went on to confirm that three people died in Kursk as a result of Ukraine’s new offensive. ‘A Ukrainian FPV-drone attacked a Lada Largus car… unfortunately as a result of the hit two women were killed,’ the governor said, adding that a 53-year-old man died in a separate incident. Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said yesterday that despite being pushed back from Kursk earlier this year, his forces had achieved ‘most’ of its goals in showing its capabilities and preventing Russia from launching offensives elsewhere.

The original August 2024 incursion was facilitated by the Biden administration relaxing its position on Kyiv using US-supplied ATACMS missiles to strike deep into Russia - granted following reports Moscow was bolstering its ranks with North Korean troops. But material support has dried up since Donald Trump ascended to the US presidency, and his administration said last week it would no longer mediate in Russia-Ukraine peace talks , urging both sides to swiftly come to terms.

The original August 2024 incursion was facilitated by the Biden administration relaxing its position on Kyiv using US-supplied ATACMS missiles to strike deep into Russia – granted following reports Moscow was bolstering its ranks with North Korean troops. But material support has dried up since Donald Trump ascended to the US presidency, and his administration said last week it would no longer mediate in Russia-Ukraine peace talks , urging both sides to swiftly come to terms.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a press briefing this morning that Russia still intends to observe the three-day ceasefire this week, but cautioned that its forces would respond to any attack initiated by Kyiv. 'Of course, President Putin's initiative for a temporary truce during the holidays is relevant, and the corresponding instructions have been given by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief,' he said. 'But I want to remind you of our position.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a press briefing this morning that Russia still intends to observe the three-day ceasefire this week, but cautioned that its forces would respond to any attack initiated by Kyiv. ‘Of course, President Putin’s initiative for a temporary truce during the holidays is relevant, and the corresponding instructions have been given by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief,’ he said. ‘But I want to remind you of our position.

'The fire will cease, but if there is no reciprocity from the Kyiv regime and attempts to strike our positions or our facilities continue, then an adequate response will be given immediately. 'For now, we can add that, unfortunately, we have not yet heard from Kyiv, from representatives of the regime, from the head of the regime, a single statement that would talk about readiness to join this holiday truce.'

‘The fire will cease, but if there is no reciprocity from the Kyiv regime and attempts to strike our positions or our facilities continue, then an adequate response will be given immediately. ‘For now, we can add that, unfortunately, we have not yet heard from Kyiv, from representatives of the regime, from the head of the regime, a single statement that would talk about readiness to join this holiday truce.’

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