Drone Warfare Intensifies Ahead of Moscow's WW2 Parade

Russia intensified drone and missile attacks on Kyiv, killing a mother and son, as efforts for a ceasefire flounder. The escalation precedes an international parade in Moscow, with President Zelenskiy pushing for longer peace talks. Moscow faced Ukrainian drone threats, prompting airport closures.

Russia launched a fierce drone and missile attack on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities overnight, killing a mother and her son in the capital, amid unsuccessful U.S.-backed efforts to broker a ceasefire. Kamikaze drones continued over Ukrainian territory at around 11 a.m. (0800 GMT) Wednesday, over nine hours after air raid sirens first blared in the Kyiv region.

This escalation comes as Russia prepares for a May 9 parade in Moscow, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory in World War Two. Ukraine launched drones towards Moscow for a third day, forcing most of the city’s airports to close, hours before Chinese President Xi Jinping's scheduled arrival. The Kremlin has highlighted his presence and that of 28 other world leaders as proof of Russia's continued global ties despite its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In Kyiv, warning sirens wailed early Wednesday as air defences engaged, with at least three districts hit by falling debris from downed drones, according to Ukraine's emergency service on Telegram. Bodies of the deceased, wrapped in white plastic sheets, were seen being loaded into a van. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed a mother and son were among the dead, with at least seven people, including four children, injured. He stated that Russia fired four ballistic missiles and 142 drones targeting Kyiv and five other regions.