Russia Prepares to Welcome World Leaders at WWII Victory Parade, While Ukraine Prepares for Drone Attacks

Russia Prepares to Welcome World Leaders at WWII Victory Parade, While Ukraine Prepares for Drone Attacks

As Moscow prepares to welcome foreign leaders, it has reported intercepting a drone attack during preparations for a large military parade in the capital city. The parade is part of celebrations for Victory Day on May 9, commemorating the Great Patriotic War—known globally as World War II.

On Monday, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced that Russian air defense systems intercepted "four drones en route to Moscow." The purpose of the attack, he said, was to disrupt preparations for the May 9 event. In anticipation of the occasion, President Vladimir Putin has called for a 72-hour ceasefire beginning May 8. Ukraine, however, has called for a 30-day ceasefire aimed at progressing toward a permanent end to the war, which began with Russia's invasion in February 2022.

Sobyanin posted on Telegram that there were no reported injuries or damages. However, the attack temporarily halted flights at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport. Aviation regulator Rosaviatsiya confirmed that take-offs and landings were suspended for about 90 minutes during the night for safety reasons.

Meanwhile, Russian officials reported that 17 drones were shot down over the Bryansk region and another 5 over Kaluga.

"Extreme Hypocrisy"

The Kremlin described Putin’s three-day unilateral ceasefire as a humanitarian gesture. Russian authorities say military operations will be paused during this time as several world leaders—including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Serbia’s Aleksandar Vučić, and Slovakia’s Robert Fico—are scheduled to visit Moscow.

However, Russia has rejected a proposed 30-day unconditional ceasefire supported by the United States, which aims to facilitate a lasting resolution to the conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also rejected the proposed 72-hour ceasefire, suggesting that Moscow is merely trying to create a celebratory atmosphere to relieve Putin’s growing international isolation. Reports indicate that U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed frustration over Moscow’s intransigence. Zelensky said, “Moscow is simply playing a game to create a festive setting that lifts Putin out of his isolation.”