Ukraine fired drones at Moscow days before Vladimir Putin was set to host world leaders at a Victory Day parade through the capital.
Russia was forced to cancel Second World War anniversary events in occupied Crimea because of security concerns.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, has said he cannot guarantee the safety of delegates attending the march through Moscow on Friday, which will be attended by Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader.
It came as Ukrainian forces launched a second incursion into the Russian region of Kursk, breaking across the border and destroying bridges.
On Monday Kyiv fired dozens of drones at Russia with Moscow’s mayor reporting four intercepted near the city. The attack temporarily disrupted air travel at Domodedovo airport for about one and a half hours.
Putin declared a three-day ceasefire for May 8 to 10, marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet and Allied victory, while Mr Zelensky called for a more substantial halt to hostilities.
The Ukrainian president called Russia’s announced ceasefire a “theatrical production” and instead insisted on a 30-day ceasefire, saying: “An unconditional ceasefire is the model proposed by the Americans. We are following it.”
The Victory Day parade is scheduled to begin at 12pm GMT (10am Moscow time) and last for two hours.
There is speculation that North Korean troops might take part and questions remain about which world leaders will attend.
President Xi Jinping has confirmed he will be in Moscow for talks amid a growing partnership.
Uncertainty surrounds Aleksandar Vučić, the Serbian president, who had pledged to attend but suddenly fell ill. Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian leader, is expected to arrive late.
Security for Putin during the Victory Day parade has been heightened following remarks by Mr Zelensky.
Russia’s emergency alert system warned of mobile internet restrictions from May 5 to 9 due to the parade preparations and celebrations.
On Monday morning, outages were reported across major telecom providers and online services, coinciding with a military aircraft flyover rehearsal in Moscow.
Russian jet fighters parade over Moscow – Shutterstock
Social media footage from Moscow’s Red Square on Monday afternoon showed Russian special forces simulating a defence against a drone attack and moving to shield attendees as part of the drill.
Russia accused Mr Zelensky of threatening the security of its commemorations. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called this “a direct threat”.
Robert Fico, the Slovak prime minister, criticised Mr Zelensky’s warning to foreign leaders against attending Russia’s Victory Day parade, dismissing it as an attempt to intimidate foreign delegations into boycotting the event.
Mr Fico said: “I reject such threats for security reasons,” adding that if Mr Zelensky thinks his words will deter foreign leaders from attending, “he is gravely mistaken”.
Russia has also sealed off Red Square days ahead of May 9, and widespread mobile phone and internet disruptions were reported across Moscow on Monday, attributed to “security measures”.
In the occupied Crimea region, Russia has cancelled its planned Victory Day military parade in Sevastopol, with governor Mikhail Razvozhayev citing safety concerns.
It follows a Ukrainian sea drone strike that destroyed a Russian Su-30 fighter jet near Novorossiysk on May 2.
Credit: Telegram/@DIUkraine
The $50 million (£37.6 million) aircraft reportedly crashed into the sea, Ukraine’s military intelligence described it as the first time a sea drone had downed a jet.
In London, a small group of Ukrainian soldiers joined British troops in a parade in central London to mark VE Day.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said Ukraine’s participation symbolised the “continued fight for freedom against Russia’s unprovoked, illegal invasion”.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces launched a second major incursion into Russia’s western Kursk region.
Weeks after Russia claimed it had expelled Ukrainian troops from the western region following an initial attack in 2024, pro-Russian channels said Kyiv’s forces had taken advantage of poor weather to return.
Using specialised vehicles to cross minefields, they blew up bridges with rockets overnight before launching an armoured assault in the morning.
One Russian war-focused Telegram channel claimed at least 50 Ukrainian soldiers had crossed into the Kursk region, with fighting reported near the villages of Zvannoe and Tetkino.
“The mine clearance vehicles began to make passages in the minefields, followed by armoured vehicles with troops. There is a heavy battle going on at the border,” the channel reported.
Confirming the attack, Alexander Khinstein, the Kursk governor, reported that Ukrainian attacks had killed three people in the region on Monday. “A Ukrainian FPV-drone attacked a Lada Largus car… unfortunately as a result of the hit two women were killed,” he said.
In a separate incident, he said a 53-year-old man had been killed when an explosive was dropped onto his car.
Civilians in border villages on both sides have been regularly killed in drone attacks and artillery exchanges since the war broke out.
The governor said last week that 288 civilians had been killed during Ukraine’s previous incursion into the Kursk region, which began in August 2024.
Putin declared victory in Kursk in April, with the Russian military claiming Ukrainian forces had been completely pushed out after what was described as the largest incursion into Russian territory since the Second World War.
The initial cross-border operation, which caught Russian forces by surprise, saw Ukrainian troops capture dozens of villages and hold territory inside Russia for months.
Oleksandr Syrsky, the Ukrainian commander in chief, said on Monday that despite Ukraine being pushed back, the Kursk offensive had “achieved most of its goals”.
“Thanks to our active operations in Kursk Oblast, we prevented the Russians from launching an offensive campaign in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts. The buffer zone established by Ukraine’s defence forces in the border areas remains relevant today,” he said.
Kyiv had been hoping to use its hold on the territory as a bargaining chip in ceasefire talks with Moscow.
A Ukrainian military blog also reported Russian forces making territorial gains east of Novodarivka, in Zaporizhzhia.
According to the Telegram post, Russian forces carried out 46 assault operations with two infantry companies supported by more than 75 motorcycles. It added that at least 90 Russian forces had been killed and 45 wounded, although the numbers cannot be independently verified.
‘Intensified diplomatic efforts’
The new border fighting comes amid intensified diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration to end the war.
Donald Trump said on Sunday that a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine might be within reach, adding: “We think we’re fairly close and we’re going to save a lot of people from being killed, going to save a lot of money, too.”
The US president also claimed European leaders had repeatedly asked him to contact Putin because “he doesn’t return their phone call”.
He added: “Russia doesn’t want the strip that they have now, Russia wants all of Ukraine. And if it weren’t me, they would keep going.”
