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The volley came just days before a planned parade in the capital to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.
May 6, 2025Updated 9:38 a.m. ET
A Ukrainian drone attack halted flights at airports across a wide swath of Russia overnight on Tuesday, Russian officials said, showing Kyiv’s ability to strike deep into Russian territory before a planned parade in Moscow to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.
Air defenses responded to the drone volley in at least 11 regions, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported. The attack closed 13 airports, including all four major airports serving Moscow, according to an agency regulating Russian aviation. Flights resumed Tuesday morning.
The Ukrainian authorities have not commented on the strikes.
It was not clear that the barrage was intended as a threat to the parade, because Kyiv has been routinely shooting at Russia with long-range drones, answering the nightly Russian bombardments of Ukraine. Russian drones on Tuesday hit the cities of Sumy, Kharkiv and Odesa, killing four people and wounding at least another 11, according to local officials.
Russia has said that about 20 foreign heads of state including China’s president, Xi Jinping, have accepted invitations to the Moscow parade, in Red Square, on Friday; President Vladimir V. Putin has asked for a three-day truce in the war for the occasion.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has rejected that proposal unless Russia agrees to extend any cease-fire for at least 30 days, calling the shorter truce too limited. He has also said that the cease-fire was offered only to put guests of the parade at ease.
Mr. Zelensky said over the weekend that he could not guarantee safety for those attending the Victory Day parade.
