A three-day ceasefire
This year, the Russian president ordered his soldiers to observe a ceasefire in Ukraine from May 8 to 10, during these celebrations which will be crowned, as every year, by a large military parade under the walls of Kremlin in Moscow. Ukraine, which has faced a large -scale Russian offensive since 2022, has not clearly said whether it would respect this truce and the Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelensky assured that Russia was “right to worry” for the security of the parade.
During the night of Monday to Tuesday, Ukraine drew more than a hundred drones against Russian territory, including 19 which were intercepted when they were aiming for Moscow according to its mayor, Sergei Sobianine, these attacks leading to disturbances in four airports in the capital.
On Tuesday, the Kremlin said that the Russian army would respond “immediately” in the event of a Ukrainian attack during the truce of hostilities unilaterally ordered by Vladimir Putin between May 8 and 10. “If the kyiv regime does not do the same and continues to try to hit our positions or our facilities, an adequate response will be immediately given,” said spokesperson for the Russian presidency Dmitri Peskov.
Ukraine alerts foreign troops
For his part, kyiv urged foreign troops on Tuesday not to participate in this major May 9 parade in Moscow so as not to “share the responsibility” of the “atrocities” of the Russian army in Ukraine. “The Russian army […] Continue to commit to Ukraine atrocities of a magnitude that Europe had not known since the Second World War, “said Ukrainian diplomacy in a press release. “Walking with them is sharing the responsibility for the blood of Ukrainian children, civilians and military” and “not celebrating victory over Nazism,” she added.
-Why is the May 9 parade so important for Putin?
The Russian authorities have promised this year of unprecedented ceremonies to mark this date of May 9, the main patriotic high mass in Russia and other ex-Soviet republics. For several days, the streets of the Russian capital have been flooded in national colors and the vast majority of businesses and restaurants have placarded posters calling to “remember” the 1945 victory and to be “proud”.
Soldiers of the Chinese army must take part in the parade, Moscow and Beijing having been strongly closer since the start of the conflict in Ukraine. China is accused of helping Russia bypassing Western sanctions, or even providing it with weapons, as kyiv recently said, which the Chinese government denies.
A North Korean contingent has also helped Russian troops in recent months to take over the Russian region of Koursk from the Ukrainian army. The authorities of several regions of Russia, including that of Krasnodar in the Southwest, canceled their parades of May 9 this year for fear of possible Ukrainian attacks.
In the capital, security has been strengthened, the organizers who have prohibited spectators from bringing electronic cigarettes, scooters or any pet in the parade celebrating victory. Last year, the Muscovites noted strong disturbances in satellite navigation, proof of GPS jamming intended to thwart drone attacks. The May 9 parade attracts large crowds of spectators every year, who often come with the family.
