On Tuesday, Russian forces claimed to have intercepted over 100 Ukrainian drones targeting multiple regions across Russia, as reported by the Defense Ministry in Moscow. This drone assault led to the temporary suspension of flights at all four airports surrounding Moscow. Additionally, nine other regional Russian airports halted operations due to drone strikes that affected areas along the border with Ukraine and deeper within Russian territory. This marks the second consecutive night that the Moscow region has faced such attacks.

According to local Governor Alexander Khinshtein, two individuals sustained injuries in the Kursk region, and some damage was reported in the Voronezh region. However, the reports from Russian officials remain unverified by independent sources.

The timing of this drone attack is significant, as it comes just two days before a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire announced by President Vladimir Putin, coinciding with Victory Day celebrations in Moscow. This holiday commemorates the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in 1945 and is the largest secular celebration in Russia, attracting various foreign dignitaries to the capital.

In parallel to the developments in Russia, Russian forces launched at least 20 Shahed drones at Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city close to the Russian border, injuring four people, according to regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov. The drone strikes caused a fire at Barabashovo market, the largest market in Kharkiv, resulting in damage to approximately 100 market stalls. Furthermore, seven additional civilians were reported injured in the Kharkiv region due to Russian glide bombs and drones.

A brief unilateral truce "on humanitarian grounds" was declared by Putin starting from May 8, but Ukraine has called for a more extended ceasefire. Russia has effectively dismissed a U.S. proposal for an immediate and all-encompassing 30-day halt to fighting, citing extensive conditions. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has indicated acceptance of this proposal.

U.S. President Donald Trump remarked on Monday that the brief truce "doesn’t sound like much, but it’s... a lot if you knew where we started from." The upcoming Victory Day festivities in Moscow will see the attendance of notable foreign leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom Putin has referred to as "our main guest." India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also expected to attend but canceled his trip due to rising tensions with Pakistan.

Other attendees include Robert Fico, the populist Prime Minister of Slovakia, who has openly contested the European Union's policies on Ukraine, and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic, who has accepted an invitation to Russia for the first time since the invasion, though his attendance remains uncertain after he fell ill.