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Russia and Ukraine Trade Deadly Drone and Missile Strikes Ahead of Victory Day

Escalating aerial attacks target capitals and border regions as Ukraine seeks to bolster air defenses and Russia declares a 72-hour ceasefire.

A vendor sits at the site of the Barabashovo market hit by Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, May 6, 2025. REUTERS/Viktoriia Yakymenko/File Photo
A Ukrainian drone operator tests fly a Ukrainian-made Vampire drone on February 21, 2024 in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual end-of-year press conference and phone-in, in Moscow, Russia December 19, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy holds a joint press conference with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, in Prague, Czech Republic, May 5, 2025. REUTERS/Eva Korinkova

Overview

  • Russia launched a missile and 28 drones targeting Kyiv overnight, killing two people and injuring eight, including four children.
  • Ukraine's drone strikes have disrupted operations at Moscow's airports for three consecutive nights, impacting flights and logistics ahead of Victory Day celebrations.
  • President Zelenskiy instructed Ukraine's Defense and Foreign Ministries to secure funding for interceptor drones to counter Russian UAVs, emphasizing the need for advanced air defense capabilities.
  • Russian Shahed drone attacks caused significant damage in Kharkiv, destroying 40 residential buildings, and in Zaporizhzhia, where 13 drones injured four civilians and destroyed a house.
  • President Putin announced a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire starting May 8, which Ukraine dismissed as a ploy to safeguard Russia's Victory Day parade.