Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aides warn of revenge attacks targeting Kyiv foreign HQs if Ukraine assaults Moscow’s crucial Victory Day Parade celebrations at the weekend
The Kremlin has warned Kyiv embassies and ‘decision-making centres’ to evacuate in case President Vladimir Putin orders a massive revenge strike if Kyiv attacks Russia’s key Saturday Victory Day Parade.
It came as Ukraine launched almost 350 drone attacks across 20 Russian regions in a major overnight assault on Russia. Central to Kyiv’s onslaught was an attack on a Moscow military hub as explosions were hears throughout the country last night.
It followed a warning earlier in the week by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that his troops would seek revenge attacks for Moscow’s killing of civilians. Zelensky told Putin he would order a “mirror-like” response for a brutal double-tap strike by Russia targeting rescuers attending a burning building.
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It happened during the countdown to Moscow’s much-celebrated Victory Day ceremony during which the Kremlin marks the defeat of WWII Nazi Germany. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova urged diplomats to evacuate from Kyiv ahead of a Russian “retaliatory strike on decision-making centres.”
She predicted a Kyiv attack on Moscow’s parade as ‘inevitable’ and warned that: “if Kyiv carries out its criminal plans during the Victory Day celebrations, strikes will be launched, including on decision-making centres. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on the authorities of your country/the leadership of your organisation to treat this statement with the utmost responsibility and ensure the advance evacuation of staff of diplomatic and other missions, as well as citizens, from the city of Kyiv due to the inevitability of a retaliatory strike on Kyiv.
“This includes on decision-making centres, by Russian Armed Forces in the event that the Kyiv regime carries out its criminal terrorist intentions during the days marking the Great Victory.” As many as 347 Ukrainian drones hit targets across 20 Russian regions, including on and around Moscow, Bryansk, Tver, Rostov, Samara, and Tula.
War has raged since Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the order in February 2022 for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Moscow. Within weeks Russian forces were beaten back but they have occupied increasingly larger territories in the Donbas region in the country’s east.
This built upon Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea following the Maidan protests in Kyiv which led to the ousting of the pro-Moscow leader and the arrival of President Volodymyr Zelensky. Russia has lost well over one million troops to death or injury in the war but have exacted a huge price on Ukraine’s civilians and infrastructure.
Bu they have been accused of thousands of war-crimes, including murder, torture and rape of Ukraine’s civilians throughout the conflict. The Kremlin has made efforts to call for a ceasefire to protect their Victory Day Parade but it was not agreed upon.
And this has led to fears from Putin that he will be further embarrassed by a Kyiv attack exposing Russia’s military vulnerabilities. Kremlin officials have ordered a major security clampdown on Moscow’s streets for this weekend.
Zelensky has also suggested Moscow’s Victory Day Parade will be hugely depleted by losses during the war – of vehicles, weaopons and even soldiers. There have been reports some troops have been pulled back from the frontline to attend the ceremony.
Tensions are mounting in the countdown to the weekend events amid reports Vladimir Putin increasingly is spending more time sheltering from a suspected plot to oust him by hiding in underground bunkers.
