Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Russian forces in Ukraine are fighting “aggression backed by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)”, delivering his Victory Day address as US President Donald Trump announced a temporary ceasefire.
Speaking on the 81st anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, Putin stated that Russia is developing modern weapons based on its combat experience. “Our cause is just, we are united and victory has been and will always be our ally,” Putin said, adding that the country’s fate “is determined by the people” regardless of technological changes in warfare.
Ceasefire Announcements and Drone Strikes
US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire on Friday evening, stating the truce would be in effect from May 9 to 11.
The announcement followed earlier diplomatic proposals. Putin had previously announced a unilateral ceasefire for May 8 to 9, which the Russian Defence Ministry said it expected Ukraine to observe. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had separately proposed a ceasefire beginning May 5 or 6, contingent on Russia halting combat operations.
Prior to the ceasefire announcements, authorities reported a continuation of aerial strikes involving hundreds of drones daily. On Friday, Russian officials reported drone attacks spanning from southern regions to the Ural Mountains, approximately 1,700 kilometres from the border.
In Rostov-on-Don, a drone strike damaged an administrative building at the air traffic control centre. The incident paused operations at airports in 13 southern cities, affecting at least 14,000 passengers. In Moscow, a drone struck a residential building located roughly six kilometres from the Kremlin.
Security Measures and Parade Adjustments
The Kremlin implemented heightened security measures for this year’s Victory Day celebrations in response to the drone attacks. Russia issued a warning that it would target central Kyiv if attempts were made to disrupt the events, and the Russian Foreign Ministry recommended that foreign embassies evacuate their diplomatic staff and citizens from the Ukrainian capital.
The Russian Defence Ministry announced last week that the May 9 parade would take place without heavy military equipment for the first time since 2007. Students from military colleges and youth institutions did not participate, though the scheduled air show proceeded. Several Russian cities, including Perm in the Urals, scaled back or cancelled their public events.
Media accreditation for the parade was modified. According to Bloomberg, access was primarily granted to live broadcast channels, technical television crews, the Kremlin press pool, and international media that regularly cover the presidency.
To facilitate security ahead of May 9, Russian authorities restricted mobile and fixed internet services in several cities. Following intermittent mobile internet outages in Moscow since May 5, state-controlled Sberbank advised customers to use ATMs and physical branches. A major taxi company also recommended clients book rides by phone and pay in cash.
Following the parade, Putin is scheduled to meet with several international officials, including Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim Ismail, and leaders from Central Asian nations.