Russia said Ukraine launched a major drone attack aimed at Moscow ahead of the May 9 Victory Day celebrations, with the assault coinciding with renewed warnings from both sides over ceasefire efforts and safety measures for the holiday. Russian Defense Ministry officials said air defenses shot down 347 Ukrainian drones overnight, and said the attacks appeared to be among the largest in what Russia described as a major campaign after Moscow rejected a ceasefire offer from Kyiv earlier in the week.
Russian officials said the incoming drones were destroyed across more than 20 Russian regions, including Moscow. The Defense Ministry said dozens more Ukrainian drones were launched during daylight hours Thursday, including some heading again toward the Russian capital. Russia’s Defense Ministry cited the scale of the strike as part of its account of why it expected further disruption near the holiday, noting that Ukraine’s earlier March drone attack included 389 drones, described as the previous peak in the reporting.
As the attack unfolded, the ministry said nearly 100 flights in and out of Moscow’s three main airports—Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo—were delayed or canceled by midday, according to the Moskva news agency. The drone activity also raised tension around Victory Day events as May 9 approached, with both sides portraying the coming days as a test of restraint and security.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that Moscow disregarded what he described as a goodwill gesture. In an evening video address, Zelenskyy said, “They want Ukraine’s permission to hold their parade — so they can safely take to the square for an hour once a year, and then go back to killing our people and waging war.” He added that Ukraine had been ready to “ensure complete silence,” but Russia launched fresh attacks anyway, as the holiday preparations intensified.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said on X that Russia’s attacks were “ceaseless,” describing drones, missiles, artillery shelling and glide bombs hitting civilian areas of Ukraine, including the power grid and rail network. In the northeastern city of Kharkiv, local officials said a drone strike wounded nine people, including three children, underscoring the civilian impact Ukraine reported during the same period.
The shifting ceasefire timelines became part of the public dispute between the governments. Russia said it had declared a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine for Friday and Saturday, while Ukraine responded with its own suspension of hostilities from midnight Tuesday. Zelenskyy said Moscow disregarded Ukraine’s response and instead launched more strikes as the week’s tensions mounted ahead of the holiday.
At the same time, Moscow’s preparations for the parade included tightened security and changes to the event itself. State media reported that all mobile internet access and text messaging services would be shut down in the Russian capital on May 9, citing Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media. Authorities also said the traditional parade in Moscow would not feature the usual tanks, missiles and other military equipment for the first time in nearly two decades, with the Defense Ministry citing the “current operational situation” as the reason.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said additional measures were being taken due to the “rather complex operational situation.” Peskov told reporters the steps are “necessary to ensure the safety of citizens, which is an absolute priority.” The Kremlin’s public posture also included warnings that it would retaliate if Ukrainian attacks disrupted the celebrations, with presidential aide Yuri Ushakov telling journalists Thursday that Russia “strengthened our focus on the possibility of retaliatory measures.”
Russia said it was concerned about possible Ukrainian attacks because Kyiv has expanded its long-range drone and missile capabilities. Russia also repeated warnings that it would take decisive action—including a potential mass strike on Kyiv—if Ukrainian attacks disrupted the occasion, and its Foreign Ministry advised foreign embassies and international organizations in Kyiv to evacuate their offices in case such a strike took place.
Foreign leaders scheduled to attend Victory Day ceremonies included Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith, and Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, while Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico was to meet with Vladimir Putin and lay flowers at the tomb of the unknown soldier but stay away from the parade, according to the reporting. Zelenskyy said some countries planning to send representatives to Moscow had contacted Ukraine about their plans to visit, and he said, “An odd desire at a time like this. We do not recommend it,” late Thursday.