Putin expected appearance at Victory Day celebrations and Kiev suffers 'biggest attack' since the start of the war

Ukraine announced on Monday that the capital Kiev was hit last night by the largest attack since the beginning of the war, while Moscow revealed the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the celebrations of Victory Day scheduled for Tuesday in Red Square, days after a two-march attack targeted the Kremlin.

"This is the biggest attack on our city," Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said, adding that the Russians "launched the largest attack on the city with 60 drones" and we shot down 36 of them last night.

Klitschko said at least five people were injured and a fuel depot, cars, buildings and infrastructure were damaged.

Reuters witnesses reported hearing numerous explosions in Kiev, and local officials reported that air defence systems repelled the attacks.

Klitschko: night attack on Kyiv was the most massive since the beginning of the SMO.
According to the mayor of Kyiv, the city was attacked by 36 kamikaze drones. As a result, a tank with diesel fuel and 15 trucks in the Solomensky district were damaged. pic.twitter.com/zRLSxI2Vv1

— Spriter (@Spriter99880) May 8, 2023

The agency "Novosti" quoted Ukrainian media last night with strong explosions in various Ukrainian cities and regions, including Kiev.

In Kherson in the south, two Ukrainian officials said Russian artillery shelling wounded eight people, including a nine-year-old boy, in two villages in the area.

Ukrainian regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said six civilians were wounded in the village of Stanislav on the right bank of the mouth of the Dnipro River.

Roman Mruchko, head of the region's military administration, said two others were wounded in Antonevka, on the outskirts of Kherson.

"Victory Day" celebrations

The developments come as Russia prepares for D-Day celebrations, which celebrates the defeat of Nazi Germany on May 1945, <>.

Despite the recent downing of two drones over the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to attend the annual military parade scheduled for Tuesday in Moscow's Red Square, the Kremlin said.

Russia's Interfax news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying on Monday: "The president will appear tomorrow during the parade."

Moscow officials had earlier announced that security would be tightened ahead of celebrations marking the 78th anniversary of Russia's victory over Nazi Germany during World War Two.

There has been speculation that the parade could be cancelled following the Kremlin drone attack, which Kiev has denied Russian accusations of being behind it.

The so-called "Immortal Regiment" march that follows the military parade during Victory Day celebrations has been canceled. Peskov said the march, which Putin attended in 2022, was cancelled due to security concerns.

Peskov said it had not yet been decided whether this year's celebrations would include an air show.

According to Russian media reports, Victory Day marches in more than 20 Russian cities were canceled due to security concerns.

Zelensky vows

In the opposite camp, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed on Monday to defeat Russia "just as he defeated" the Nazis.

Western countries celebrate the anniversary of Germany's surrender on the eighth of May, but Moscow always celebrates this anniversary on the ninth of May due to the time difference.

Putin made defeating the Nazis a key element of Russian identity and nationalism, and downplayed the role of other allies. He has consistently put the war on Ukraine at the heart of this approach, saying Ukraine must be "cleansed of Nazism."

Zelensky promised the Putin regime the fate of Adolf Hitler himself. In a speech posted on social media, he said: "All the ancient evil that modern Russia is returning will be defeated in the same way that Nazism was defeated."

He announced that Ukraine will henceforth celebrate the end of World War II in the Western way on the eighth of May / May and will celebrate Europe Day on the ninth of it, like the countries of the European Union, which Kiev aspires to join as soon as possible.

The day after the announcement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is travelling to Kiev to reiterate the EU's "unwavering support for Ukraine," her spokesman said.