Over 100 Ukrainian drones target Russia; airports shut, flights halted in Moscow, 9 other cities

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All 4 worldwide airports round Moscow suspended flights on Tuesday as Russian forces intercepted over 100 Ukrainian drones in one of many largest aerial assaults reported in current months.Russia’s defence ministry mentioned drones focused practically a dozen areas, together with border areas and areas deep throughout the nation.The wave of assaults got here simply days earlier than Russia marks Victory Day on May 9, its most important secular vacation, celebrating the 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany. President Vladimir Putin has declared a 72-hour unilateral ceasefire beginning May 8 for the event. However, the drone strikes have solid doubt over the truce’s effectiveness.Rosaviatsia, Russia’s civil aviation authority, mentioned operations had been halted not solely in Moscow however at 9 other regional airports amid issues of ongoing drone threats. Tuesday’s incident marked the second consecutive evening of drone assaults in the Moscow area.Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are anticipated to attend Thursday’s celebrations, which is able to embrace a navy parade that includes tanks and missiles. Ukraine’s overseas ministry has urged international locations to not ship navy representatives, calling participation “an affront” to the reminiscence of Ukrainians who fought towards Nazism.Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine carried out one of many largest prisoner swaps because the full-scale invasion started in February 2022, with both sides confirming the return of 205 troopers. The trade was mediated by the United Arab Emirates.Despite the introduced ceasefire, combating has continued on either side. Ukraine launched long-range drone strikes utilizing domestically produced UAVs. Russia responded with Shahed drones, glide bombs, and missile assaults. Ukrainian officers mentioned 136 Russian drones had been fired in a single day.In Kharkiv, 20 Russian drones injured 4 folks and set hearth to the Barabashovo market, damaging round 100 stalls. In Donetsk’s Kramatorsk metropolis, drone strikes killed one individual and injured two others. One civilian was additionally reported killed in the Odesa area.Russian authorities mentioned two folks had been injured in the Kursk area, and harm was reported in Voronezh. These claims haven’t been independently verified.