Russia, Ukraine trade major attacks ahead of Kremlin's WWII celebrations

Russia's army said Friday it was responding "symmetrically" to attacks by Ukraine during a unilateral two-day ceasefire ordered by Moscow that Kyiv never agreed to.

The Russian defense ministry said in a statement on social media that Ukraine fired hundreds of drones across the front line as well as tank and artillery attacks, adding that Moscow's troops were "responding symmetrically."

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of carrying out attacks on Friday.

"On the Russian side, there was not even a token attempt to cease fire on the front. As we did over the past 24 hours, Ukraine will respond in kind today as well," Zelensky wrote on X, noting that Russian forces targeted frontline positions overnight.

Separately, Ukraine's air force said it downed 56 Russian drones close to the frontline in the last hours.

Russia said it downed 264 Ukrainian drones in the first hours of the two-day unilateral truce.

"During the period between 12:00 am and 7:00 am Moscow time (2100 GMT Thursday and 0400 GMT Friday), air defense duty assets intercepted and destroyed 264 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the defense ministry said on Russian social media Max, adding the interceptions took place in more than a dozen regions, including Moscow.

The attacks came ahead of Russia's most important secular holiday on May 9, Victory Day, which marks the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Russian authorities have declared a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine for Friday and Saturday.

Ukraine had responded with its own suspension of hostilities from midnight Tuesday. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said while Ukraine had been ready to "ensure complete silence," Moscow disregarded the goodwill gesture and launched fresh attacks.

"They want Ukraine's permission to hold their parade — so they can safely take to the square for an hour once a year, and then go back to killing our people and waging war," Zelenskyy said in his regular evening video address Thursday.

The Ukrainian leader said Thursday on X that Russia's attacks have been ceaseless, with drones, missiles, artillery shelling and glide bombs hitting civilian areas of Ukraine, including the power grid and rail network.

In the northeastern city of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest, a drone strike wounded nine people, including three children, local officials said.

Tension has grown as Russia's Victory Day celebrations approach and U.S.-led peace efforts gain no traction. Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, was in the United States on Thursday and preparing to meet with Trump administration representatives, according to Zelenskyy.

All mobile internet access and text messaging services will be shut down in the Russian capital on May 9, state media reported Thursday, citing the country's Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media.

A traditional parade in Moscow won't feature the usual tanks, missiles and other military equipment for the first time in nearly two decades.

The Russian Defense Ministry cited the "current operational situation" as a reason for excluding military equipment.

Russian authorities say they are concerned about possible Ukrainian attacks, as Kyiv has expanded its long-range drone and missile capabilities.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that additional security measures were being taken due to the "rather complex operational situation."

The measures being taken "are necessary to ensure the safety of citizens, which is an absolute priority," Peskov told reporters.

Among the foreign dignitaries expected to attend the Victory Day ceremonies on Saturday are Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith, and Belarus' authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico was to meet with Putin and lay flowers at the tomb of the unknown soldier but stay away from the parade.

Zelenskyy said some countries who planned to send representatives to Moscow for May 9 had contacted Ukraine about their plans to visit.

"An odd desire at a time like this. We do not recommend it," Zelenskyy said late Thursday.

Russia repeated its recent warnings to Ukraine that it would take decisive action — including a potential mass strike on Kyiv — if Ukrainian attacks disrupt the occasion.

"We have strengthened our focus on the possibility of retaliatory measures," presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told journalists Thursday.

Russia's Foreign Ministry advised foreign embassies and international organizations located in Kyiv to evacuate their offices in case such a strike did take place.

Ukraine's air defense shot down 92 of the 102 drones Russia launched overnight, the military said.

Russia maintains a significant advantage in drone numbers, regularly deploying hundreds in a single attack.