All four international airports around Moscow suspended flights on Tuesday as Russian forces intercepted over 100 Ukrainian drones in one of the largest aerial assaults reported in recent months.Russia’s defence ministry said drones targeted nearly a dozen regions, including border areas and locations deep within the country.The wave of attacks came just days before Russia marks Victory Day on May 9, its most significant secular holiday, celebrating the 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany. President Vladimir Putin has declared a 72-hour unilateral ceasefire starting May 8 for the occasion. However, the drone strikes have cast doubt over the truce’s effectiveness.Rosaviatsia, Russia’s civil aviation authority, said operations were halted not only in Moscow but at nine other regional airports amid concerns of ongoing drone threats. Tuesday’s incident marked the second consecutive night of drone attacks in the Moscow region.Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are expected to attend Thursday’s celebrations, which will include a military parade featuring tanks and missiles. Ukraine’s foreign ministry has urged countries not to send military representatives, calling participation “an affront” to the memory of Ukrainians who fought against Nazism.Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine conducted one of the largest prisoner swaps since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, with each side confirming the return of 205 soldiers. The exchange was mediated by the United Arab Emirates.Despite the announced ceasefire, fighting has continued on both sides. Ukraine launched long-range drone strikes using domestically produced UAVs. Russia responded with Shahed drones, glide bombs, and missile attacks. Ukrainian officials said 136 Russian drones were fired overnight.In Kharkiv, 20 Russian drones injured four people and set fire to the Barabashovo market, damaging around 100 stalls. In Donetsk’s Kramatorsk city, drone strikes killed one person and injured two others. One civilian was also reported killed in the Odesa region.Russian authorities said two people were injured in the Kursk region, and damage was reported in Voronezh. These claims have not been independently verified.
