Russias Victory Day Ceasefire Fails as Drone Strikes Escalate in Ukraine War

Russia forced to scale down its victory parade for the first time in almost 20 years The unilateral ceasefire declared by Russia on the eve of its national World War II commemorations crumbled right after it took effect. Ukraine and Russia launched major attacks against each other, forcing Russia to scale down its victory parade for the first time in almost 20 years. Story by Shirli Sitbon.

france24 · 13 days ago

Who is coming to Putins Victory Day parade — and who is not? For the Russian president, Victory Day is arguably the most important public holiday of the year. But this time, even Russias former allies are staying away, leaving the Kremlin alone in its much scaled-down celebration.

euronews · 13 days ago

Why Russia has scaled back May 9 Victory Parade This years May 9 military parades in Moscow will be much more modest and have been canceled altogether in other parts of Russia. The Kremlin has blamed Ukraine.

deutsche welle europe · 13 days ago

Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of breaching Victory Day ceasefire The two sides report responding to hundreds of drone attacks, just hours into a truce to cover celebrations of the Soviet Unions victory over Nazi Germany.

bbc · 13 days ago

Kremlin-Declared Victory Day Truce Collapses As Kyiv And Moscow Exchange Attacks A Kremlin-proposed cease-fire to mark Victory Day collapsed within hours, as Ukraine and Russia reported hundreds of violations a day before a scaled-down military parade in Moscow.

radio free europe · 13 days ago

Debate: 9 May: Will Kyiv attack the parade in Moscow? Uncertainty hangs over Russias annual military parade held in Moscow on 9 May to celebrate the victory over Nazi Germany. In view of Ukraines increasingly successful drone strikes across Russias territory, the parade is taking place without its usual display of military hardware. Commentators see this as a sign of vulnerability and draw very different conclusions.

eurotopics.net · 13 days ago

Kremlin Revokes Foreign Press Access to Victory Day Parade, Citing Drone Threats Russia has revoked foreign journalists access to the traditional May 9 Victory Day military parade on Red Square, citing security concerns linked to Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Moscow, Der Spiegel reported on May 8.The Kremlin informed Germanys dpa news agency that only a limited number of Russian outlets would retain access to the parade grounds. Russias presidential administration had previously confirmed accreditation for foreign journalists and circulated a written schedule for the event, only to reverse the decision.The parade is also expected to take place without any display of military equipment for the first time since 2007. Moscow attributed the cancellation of the hardware showcase to the operational situation, a phrase consistent with previous Kremlin references to the threat posed by Ukrainian long-range strikes.Officials pointed to the strained security environment in the capital, where Ukrainian drones have repeatedly reached targets in recent weeks. Earlier this week, Russian authorities said a drone struck a residential high-rise in Moscow.The restrictions mark a sharp reversal from the 2025 80th-anniversary parade, when international media were admitted to Red Square. Russia traditionally marks May 9 with a parade commemorating the Soviet Unions victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. The event remains one of the most politically charged dates on the Kremlins calendar and a centerpiece of state wartime messaging.Read moreWar in UkraineMoscow Issues Warning to Foreign Diplomats to Leave Kyiv Before May 9 May 06, 2026 23:15 The new limits underscore how Ukrainian long-range drone strikes have forced Moscow to scale back and securitize one of the Russian leaderships most important public displays of military power.Kyiv has expanded its long-range drone campaign against Russian territory in recent months, with strikes reaching deeper into the country and increasingly into the capital. The pattern has prompted tighter security around major public gatherings and politically sensitive commemorations.Those preparations now extend to Moscows communications infrastructure. Russian authorities are preparing broad restrictions on mobile communications across the capital ahead of the May 9 parade, recent reports show.The restrictions are expected on May 5, 7, and 9 and may affect mobile internet, SMS services, and some whitelisted platforms that are normally left accessible during outages.The shutdown may cover the full area inside Moscows ring road, expanding beyond the localized mobile internet blackout previously imposed near the Kremlin. That earlier restriction lasted nearly three weeks and was reportedly linked to security preparations around the parade. Related articles Russia to Reportedly Hold Largest Victory Day Parade Since Its Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine Latest news May 07, 2025 15:45 Zelenskyy Says Russia Made Not Even a Token Attempt at Ceasefire, Ukraine Will Respond War in Ukraine May 08, 2026 10:42 EU Says It Will Keep Diplomatic Presence in Kyiv Despite Russian Escalation Warnings War in Ukraine May 07, 2026 16:03

united24media · 13 days ago

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv strikes one of Russias largest oil refineries a day before Victory Day parade Kremlin confirms it has increased security measures for Putins attendance at Red Square parade

independent · 13 days ago

Russia and Ukraine trade major attacks despite Victory Day ceasefire Russia and Ukraine are accusing each other of violating a two-day ceasefire announced by Moscow to cover the celebrations of the Soviet Unions victory over ​Nazi Germany. Ukraines air force said it downed 56 Russian drones close to the frontline in the last few hours. On its end, the Russian Defence Ministry said 264 Ukrainian drones had ⁠been downed in the early hours of Friday. Details by FRANCE 24 correspondent in Kharkiv, Emmanuelle Chaze.

france24 · 13 days ago

Airports in Southern Russia Paralyzed After Ukrainian Drone Hits Air Traffic Control Center The early morning drone attacks come hours after a ceasefire that Russia unilaterally announced for May 8-10 came into effect.

themoscowtimes · 13 days ago

Air Traffic in Southern Russia Paralyzed After Ukrainian Drone Hits Control Center The overnight drone attacks come hours after a ceasefire that Russia unilaterally announced for May 8-10 came into effect.

themoscowtimes · 13 days ago

KYIV POST: Zelensky Says Ukraine Will Work With Any Hungarian Leader Who Is Not Putins Ally The Presidents remarks come amid a heated political contest in Hungary that could reshape Budapests stance toward Ukraine. #Ukraine #World #EasternEurope #Europe

mastodon bot · 2 months ago

KYIV POST: Zelensky Warns Russias $100B Budget Deficit Could Be Offset By Oil Sales Kyiv says oil revenues remain the Kremlins key financial lifeline as Ukraine pushes Western partners to maintain pressure on Moscows energy exports. #Ukraine #World #EasternEurope #Europe

mastodon bot · 2 months ago

Our sons will not die for Ukraine, Orbán tells supporters ahead of crucial April elections Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán rallied supporters in Budapest, framing Aprils election as a choice between peace and war, while lashing out at Ukraines Zelenskyy and the EU over the Druzhba pipeline dispute.

euronews · 2 months ago

Zelenskyy says ready for another round of peace talks but waiting on US and Russia US-led peace talks between Ukraine and Russia had been under way in the United Arab Emirates but were placed on hold amid the Iran war.

euronews · 2 months ago

Belgian Prime Minister De Wever calls for talks with Russia to end the war in Ukraine.Bart De Wever says Europe must negotiate with Russia to end the war in Ukraine and restore cheap energy access.The EU remains divided on the issue. French President Macron, Italian Prime Minister Meloni and Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán have called for direct talks with Moscow, while Poland and the three Baltic states are firmly opposed. #EU #Russia

mastodon bot · 2 months ago

Zelensky says EU pressure to open Russian oil pipeline is blackmail The Ukrainian president said pressure from the EU to restore the flow of Russian oil through Ukraines pipeline was akin to blackmail.

le monde · 2 months ago

Belgian PM De Wever: Europe must strike a deal with Russia to end Ukraine war Belgian PM Bart De Wever says Europe must negotiate with Russia to end the war in Ukraine and restore cheap energy access, as EU leaders remain divided on engaging Moscow.

euronews · 2 months ago

Zelensky accuses EU allies of blackmail in oil pipeline row Volodymyr Zelensky says restoring the flow of Russian oil via Ukraine into the EU would be like lifting sanctions on Russia.

bbc · 2 months ago

European Parliament reaffirms support for Ukraine and EU Path On Tuesday 24 February, the European Parliament held an extraordinary plenary session to mark four years since Russias war of aggression against Ukraine and to reaffirm European contributions towards a just peace and sustained security for Ukraine.

commonspace · 2 months ago

Russia Gave Iran Drones And Intelligence Used To Target US Bases, Zelenskyy Says Russia has supplied Iran with drones and intelligence used in attacks against US military facilities in the Middle East, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with CNN journalist Fareed Zakaria.Zelenskyy stated that Moscow transferred drones produced under Iranian licenses and that these systems were later used by Iran in strikes targeting American bases and neighboring countries in the region.They use Iranian licenses under which they built and produced a large number of drones. They transferred them. I have 100 facts that the Iranian regime used them against American bases and against our Middle Eastern neighbors of Iran, Zelenskyy said.Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian intelligence has identified Russian-made components inside some drones used in the attacks. Kyiv received intelligence from partners indicating that parts of the UAVs deployed by Iran included elements produced in Russia.Read moreLatest newsIranian Missile Strike Hits Five US Air Force Tanker Aircraft at Saudi Air Base Mar 14, 2026 14:28 Zelenskyy further stated that Ukrainian intelligence believes Moscow is also sharing intelligence information with Tehran that could help identify targets in the region.My intelligence then told me that they believe they are sharing information, intelligence with the Iranian regime… They say: If Europe and the US can help Ukraine with intelligence in this war, it means Russia can help the Iranian regime. That is their view of it. So it is a fact, and you see it is not a big secret, Zelenskyy said.According to the same reports, the Kremlin justifies such cooperation by arguing that Western intelligence assistance to Ukraine provides grounds for Russia to support its own partners in a similar way.Read moreLatest newsRare US Missile Radars Worth $4 Billion May Have Been Hit in Iranian Strikes Mar 09, 2026 17:56 The remarks come amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following recent Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting US-linked facilities in the region. Western officials have increasingly warned about deepening military cooperation between Russia and Iran since the start of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, particularly in the areas of drone technology and weapons production.Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine could send anti-drone defense experts to the Middle East to help partners protect US bases and other strategic sites from Iranian drone attacks. Speaking on March 14, Zelenskyy noted that several countries—including Jordan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar—had requested Ukrainian expertise, while Kyiv has also proposed a joint drone production partnership with the United States. Related articles Ukraines Interceptor Drones Could Shield the Middle East From Iranian Shaheds at a Fraction of the Cost World Mar 04, 2026 16:36 Iran Reportedly Attempts Missile Strike on NATO Base Hosting 20 to 50 US Nuclear Bombs in Türkiye Latest news Mar 13, 2026 11:02 Ukraine Can Help Protect the Middle East—on Land, in the Air, and at Sea World Mar 09, 2026 17:29

united24media · 2 months ago

Ukraine war briefing: six people killed as Russia unleashes missile and drone attacks, officials say Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia targeted energy infrastructure near Kyiv but residential buildings and schools also hit. What we know on day 1,481Russia hammered Ukraine with missiles and drones on Saturday, killing six people and inflicting damage across several regions of the country, Ukrainian officials said. Five of those killed were in the Kyiv region outside the capital, where Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces targeted energy infrastructure but also damaged residential buildings, schools and businesses. Fifteen people were injured.The Ukrainian president said the Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Mykolaiv regions were also targeted in an attack that included about 430 drones and 68 missiles, most of which were downed by air defences. The main target for the Russians was the energy infrastructure of the Kyiv region, but unfortunately, there were also direct hits on and damage to ordinary residential buildings, schools, and civilian businesses, Zelenskyy said.A Russian strike later in the afternoon on a residential area in the Zaporizhzhia suburbs killed one and wounded 18, including two children, the local administration said. Reuters footage showed emergency crews at work amid piles of rubble and twisted metal. Windows and frames on balconies were smashed.Russias winter attacks on Ukraine have left swathes of major cities without power or heating, part of a campaign to weaken resolve as Moscows troops press a battlefield offensive and demand Kyiv cede more territory in the east. Ukraines energy ministry said on Saturday that people in six regions were without electricity after the overnight strikes and Russian shelling of frontline areas.Saturdays attack also prompted Nato member Poland to scramble jets to protect its airspace, but no violations were observed, Warsaws military said. In Moldova, on Ukraines western border, the foreign ministry denounced what it said was an intrusion by a Russian drone into its airspace in a border district, saying Moscows actions undermined regional security and posed a danger to its citizens.Zelenskyy repeated his call for Kyivs partners to boost production of air defence weapons, stocks of which have been diminishing as the US and its allies in the Gulf, fending off Iranian strikes. The UKs prime minister Keir Starmer may send thousands of interceptor drones to the Middle East, the Telegraph reported on Saturday. Military officials are examining whether the Octopus interceptor anti-drone drone system, which is manufactured in the UK for Ukraine to use against Russia, can also be used to bolster British defences against Irans Shahed drones, the report said.Russian air defence units downed 65 Ukrainian drones headed for Moscow throughout the day on Saturday, the citys mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. Sobyanin, writing on Telegram, said the drones were intercepted over an 11-hour period beginning around noon. Crews were examining the fragments at the sites where they fell. The governor of the Bryansk region on the Ukrainian border, Alexander Bogomaz, said on Telegram that units in his region had downed 128 drones. He gave no time frame. Continue reading...

theguardian · 2 months ago

De Wever calls on the #EU to start negotiations with #Russia on peace in #Ukraine: Belgium proposes to the European Union to surrender and talk with #Moscow. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever called for giving the EU a mandate from member s...

mastodon bot · 2 months ago

Kyiv says Russia accepted U.S. plan for Ukraine security guarantees Russia said at recent talks in Geneva it ‌would accept the U.S. proposal for Ukraines post-war security guarantees, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys chief ‌of staff said on Saturday.…

japantoday · 3 months ago

Opinion: The future of the China-US-Russia triangle after Pelosis visit to Taiwan Since February 24, 2022, the international communitys focus was concentrated entirely on the war in Ukraine and the growing Russia – West confrontation. It seemed that nothing could change the situation until the end of hostilities in Ukraine. However, on August 2 and 3, almost everyones attention shifted from Ukraine to Taiwan. As the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, stated her intention to visit Taiwan, up to half a million people were watching the trajectory of her plane on air flight tracking sites. The negative reaction of China, including the warning of President Xi during his conversation with President Biden that those who played with fire would be perished by it, created hype around this visit. Many were discussing the possibility of Chinese military jets closing the airspace over Taiwan and preventing Pelosis plane from landing in Taiwan, while some enthusiasts were even contemplating the possibility of a US-China direct military clash. As Pelosi landed in Taiwan and met with the Taiwanese President, the global social media was full of amateur assessments about the strategic victory of the US and the confirmation of the US global hegemony. However, as the dust settles down, and information noise and manipulation eventually decreases, a more serious assessment is needed to understand the real consequences of this visit.

commonspace · 3 months ago

European Parliament reaffirms support for Ukraine and EU Path On Tuesday 24 February, the European Parliament held an extraordinary plenary session to mark four years since Russias war of aggression against Ukraine and to reaffirm European contributions towards a just peace and sustained security for Ukraine.

commonspace · 3 months ago

Saturday, February 28, 2026 Weve overestimated Russia for too long -- Ukraines Flamingo manufacturer unveils new FP-7 ballistic missile in launch test video -- US lifts sanctions on Malian officials linked to Russian Wagner Group -- Flamingo threat triggers unprecedented missile alert across Russia ... and more

mastodon bot · 3 months ago

Monday Commentary: Europes deadly war enters its fifth year This week marks the fourth anniversary of Russias unprovoked attack and invasion of Ukraine, sparking a deadly European war. Despite the fact that only Ukrainian soldiers are fighting the Russian aggression, this war is a European war. Its outcome will have consequences throughout the continent. This has been a deadly war. Tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides have been  killed. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have been displaced. The cost of the war unleashed by Vladimir Putin, in human, social and financial terms have been enormous, and cannot be accurately calculated as long as the fighting continues. The war in Ukraine must end this year! This can only happen if there is enough pressure on Putins Russia. Europe must sustain and increase its support for Ukraine. Fortunately leaders of the main European governments: France, Germany, UK and Poland are convinced of the importance of this, but they need to ensure the resolve of others, and of the European public. The support of the US is essential. Trump can end the war, not by agreeing to Russias terms, but by increasing pressure on Russia. There is still widespread support for Ukraine in American body-politic. Now is the time to show it. Ones the fighting stops the challenging task of rebuilding Ukraine – not just the infrastructure, but also the spirit of the Ukrainian nation – starts. In this Europe must lead, and EU accession is major and essential step that must happen quickly. Ukraine is a big country, damaged by war, and the EU will not digest it easily. For Europe however this is the ultimate test which it must pass honourable. And finally, once the guns are silent, what to do with Russia. Russia is too big, too important, and too close, to be ignored. However, under Putin Russia will remain a danger for its neighbours, for Europe, and ultimately, for the world. Relations with Russia will have to be re-invented. Europe must never again deal with Russia from a position of weakness or dependence. The decision of Finland and Sweden to abandon neutrality and join NATO, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has shown the way. A strong Europe can open a new dialogue with Moscow. But after Ukraine, trust will take a long time to build. (click the image to read the full Monday Commentary).

commonspace · 3 months ago

The French Air and Space Force is currently training three Ukrainian pilots to fly Mirage 2000 fighters.This was reported by French Aid to Ukraine, citing a press conference by the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs. #Russia #EU #France #Mirage2000

mastodon bot · 3 months ago

Yachts linked to Russian owners have shed €580mn in value after being impounded across Europe after Moscows full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with many left to deteriorate in marinas. #Russia #EU

mastodon bot · 3 months ago