A major Ukrainian drone attack forced Russia to close airports across the country on Tuesday, just days before a big military parade in Moscow. The parade is planned to mark 80 years since the end of World War II in Europe. Russia’s Ministry of Defense said the drones hit 11 different regions. Thirteen airports, including all four major ones in Moscow, were closed during the night but reopened on Tuesday morning. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, “Nineteen drones were shot down near the city. There were no injuries or serious damage, but debris hit a high-rise building and a road.” The dro

A major Ukrainian drone attack forced Russia to close airports across the country on Tuesday, just days before a big military parade in Moscow. The parade is planned to mark 80 years since the end of World War II in Europe. Russia’s Ministry of Defense said the drones hit 11 different regions. Thirteen airports, including all four major ones in Moscow, were closed during the night but reopened on Tuesday morning. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, “Nineteen drones were shot down near the city. There were no injuries or serious damage, but debris hit a high-rise building and a road.” The drone strike lasted for seven hours and showed Ukraine’s ability to reach far into Russian territory. Ukraine has not officially said it was behind the attack. Russian news outlet Baza reported that one drone’s remains landed near a subway station in Moscow. Another piece hit a highway. The attacks caused 34 flights to be sent away from Moscow, according to Russia’s aviation agency. Ukraine has been using homemade drones powered by small engines to strike back against Russia’s continued missile attacks. These drones are designed to fly long distances, avoid detection, and then explode on target. One Ukrainian officer, Major Oleksii Hetman, told local media, “We launched a surprise attack near the Russian border and moved into land we had left earlier this year.” This claim has not been confirmed by other sources. In another development, Ukraine and Russia exchanged prisoners of war. Each side released 205 soldiers in a deal helped by the United Arab Emirates. Also this week, Russia offered a short three-day cease-fire for the parade. President Vladimir Putin said he wants peace during the event, where 20 world leaders, including China’s President Xi Jinping, are expected to attend. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the short cease-fire is not enough. “If Russia wants a real peace, it should stop fighting for at least 30 days,” he said. The United States agrees with Ukraine. Former U.S. President Donald Trump said, “It’s not much, but it’s a start. We’ve come a long way.” However, his advisor, General Keith Kellogg, called Russia’s offer “absurd.” He added, “The president wants a full cease-fire by land, sea, air, and against infrastructure for at least 30 days.” Meanwhile, fighting continues near the Ukrainian border. In Russia’s Kursk region, a Ukrainian strike hit a power station, injuring two teenagers and cutting electricity to the town of Rylsk. Although Russia continues bombing Ukrainian cities like Sumy, Kharkiv, and Odesa, where four people were killed this week, its soldiers are not making big gains on the ground. According to the U.S.based Institute for the Study of War, Russian troops are suffering more losses now than last year. They reported, “Russia is losing 256 soldiers for each square mile of land it captures, compared to 153 last year.” Source: The New York Times

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