Ukrainian drones shot down as leaders land in Moscow for parade

Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow yesterday as the first foreign leaders landed in the capital ahead of a major military parade marking the end of the second world war.

- Pjotr Sauer

Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, said Russian air defence shot down two drones yesterday evening. It was the second consecutive day of Ukrainian drone attacks, after two waves that temporarily shut Moscow's four major airports.

Ukraine's drone campaign in Moscow appeared aimed at unnerving the Kremlin before the 9 May parade, which is expected to be attended by about three dozen foreign leaders - including China's Xi Jinping.

Vladimir Putin has proposed a three-day ceasefire to coincide with the 8-10 May second world war commemorations, which this year mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union and its allies' victory over Nazi Germany.

But the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, described the offer as self-serving and meaningless unless extended to 30 days, in line with a US-backed proposal that Putin has so far dismissed.

There was no immediate comment from Kyiv about the latest drone attack. Zelenskyy earlier warned that Ukraine "cannot bear responsibility for what happens" to foreign leaders attending the commemoration parade in Moscow.