Russia, Ukraine trade major attacks ahead of Kremlin's WWII celebrations
Russia and Ukraine launched major attacks on each other on Friday, with a two-day unilateral ceasefire that Moscow had declared around its World War II commemorations appearing to be in tatters.
"On the Russian side, there was not even a token attempt to cease fire on the front," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, as Ukraine's air force reported downing 56 drones in the last hours.
"As we did over the past 24 hours, Ukraine will respond in kind today as well," Zelensky wrote on X.
Russia lobbed "more than 850 strikes with drones of various types" along with more than 140 strikes on Kyiv's frontline positions, Zelensky said.
Russia's defence ministry said it had downed 264 Ukrainian drones overnight, the first hours of the Kremlin's unilateral two-day ceasefire.
Ukraine had blasted Russia's temporary truce as a propaganda measure to protect the victory parade on May 9 -- one of the most important patriotic events for Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Hours before Russia's ceasefire began, Zelensky warned allies of Russia against attending the parade.
"We have also received messages from some states close to Russia, saying that their representatives plan to be in Moscow... A strange desire... in these days. We do not recommend it," Zelensky said.
"They want from Ukraine a permit to hold their parade so that they can go out onto the square safely for one hour once a year, and then go on killing," the Ukrainian leader added.
Zelensky had earlier proposed a counter-truce from May 6 that has gone unheeded.
With Moscow doubling down on its attacks on Ukraine in the last days, Kyiv has struck back.
The Russian defence ministry had, in turn, urged residents and diplomats to leave Kyiv, threatening a potential retaliatory strike in case of a Ukrainian attack during its ceasefire.
"We remind the civilian population of Kyiv and staff at foreign diplomatic missions once again of the need to leave the city in good time," the defence ministry said in a statement.
Britain's foreign office said Moscow's threats were "unwarranted, irresponsible and completely unjustified", adding that any attack on a diplomatic mission would be a further escalation in the war.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told Bloomberg TV that Berlin will not pull its embassy staff out from Kyiv.
Zelensky will also stay "in Kyiv" over the weekend, a senior source close to the Ukrainian president told AFP on condition of anonymity.
- Parade at risk -
During the truce, Russia's defence ministry said it would "completely" halt fire along the frontline and stop long-range strikes on military infrastructure. If Ukraine did not follow suit, Moscow would respond "in kind", the ministry said.
Russia marks World War II Victory Day each year on May 9 with a massive military parade through Red Square.
Putin has made memory of the war a central narrative of his 25-year rule and invoked it to justify his invasion of Ukraine.
In recent weeks, Kyiv, which has expanded its drone capabilities, has stepped up strikes on Moscow and deep inside Russia, hitting targets hundreds of miles from Ukraine.
The attacks have created unease in Russia ahead of the parade, normally a grand show of force displaying tanks and missiles, which marks the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
Moscow has said it will omit military hardware from the procession for the first time in almost 20 years.
The number of foreign guests has also shrunk -- only the leaders of Belarus, Malaysia and Laos will attend, alongside leaders of two Russia-backed Georgian breakaway republics not recognised by the UN, according to the Kremlin.
Moscow has also started intermittent city-wide internet shutdowns lasting until Saturday.
Talks on ending what has spiralled into Europe's worst conflict since World War II have shown little progress and have been sidelined by the Iran conflict.
Moscow is demanding that Ukraine withdraw from four regions it claims as its own -- terms seen as unacceptable to Kyiv.
N.Tsakalidis--AN-GR
