Russia Reports Drone Assault on Moscow Ahead of Victory Day

In a significant escalation just days before Moscow's Victory Day commemorations, Russia has reported a drone attack involving 19 unmanned aerial vehicles targeting the capital. According to Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, the drones were intercepted and shot down by air defense forces as they approached from multiple directions. Fragments of one drone reportedly fell on a motorway, though officials have confirmed that there are no reports of severe damage or injuries.

In addition to the incidents in Moscow, Russian authorities indicated that Ukrainian drones were intercepted over the regions of Voronezh and Penza, with no immediate damage or injuries reported from these areas either. In response to the threats, flight operations at four major airports in Moscow -- Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky -- were temporarily halted for safety reasons, as reported by the Russian news agency TASS, citing the aviation authority Rosaviatsiya. Airports further afield, including those in Kaluga, Saratov, and Volgograd, also experienced temporary disruptions in service.

This latest incident follows reports of a Ukrainian drone attack on Monday. However, independent verification of these claims remains challenging.

On May 9, Russia will mark the 80th anniversary of its victory over Nazi Germany, with a grand military parade planned in Moscow that is expected to attract numerous foreign dignitaries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In a related development, Russian President Vladimir Putin has mandated a three-day ceasefire in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine surrounding the Victory Day celebrations. However, Ukrainian officials view this move as a potential ruse and have called for a more extended ceasefire of at least 30 days as a precursor to any comprehensive resolution to the conflict. This proposal has been firmly rejected by Russian authorities.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has reported a Russian drone strike on the city of Kharkiv, where a residential building caught fire. Mayor Ihor Terekhov shared the news on Telegram, although details regarding casualties remain unclear.

Additionally, Russian sources claim that the Ukrainian military has targeted a transformer station in the Kursk region. The attack on the substation in the town of Rylsk reportedly damaged two transformers and disrupted electricity supply in the area. The governor of Kursk, Alexander Khinshtein, mentioned that two teenagers sustained injuries in the attack. Rylsk is located approximately 50 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, and both sides of the conflict have evacuated several settlements due to ongoing hostilities.

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues to escalate, with both sides engaging in offensive operations across the border, as Ukraine defends itself against the prolonged Russian invasion.