Zelensky suggests targets of potential Ukrainian attacks as Russia celebrates Victory Day. “Tasks” assigned to military espionage
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky cited military intelligence and suggested his country's forces could target other regions of Russia as Russian authorities focus on the May 9 Victory Day parade in Moscow.
On Wednesday, in a post on the X platform, following a report by the head of the Ukrainian military intelligence service (HUD), Oleg Ivashchenko, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he had drawn “separate tasks” for the intelligence structure.
“We note that in recent weeks additional air defense rings have been built around Moscow at the cost of a large-scale redeployment of systems in Russia's regions. This indicates that the Russian leadership is not preparing for the cease-fire that has been the subject of so many statements and is more concerned with its parade in Moscow than with the rest of Russia,” said the Ukrainian leader, quoted by Ukrainska Pravda.
“At the same time, we note that this creates additional opportunities for our long-range sanctions. We will define our corresponding priorities,” the Ukrainian president concluded.
Ukraine accuses Russia of “refusing to save human lives”
Russian President Vladimir Putin had unilaterally proposed a ceasefire on May 8 and 9, when the World War II victory commemorations will take place, which Russia marks annually with a military parade in Moscow's Red Square.
Zelenski proposed, instead, an indefinite ceasefire starting on May 6. Today, however, he accused Russia of committing 1,820 violations by late Wednesday morning.
“The choice of Russia is an obvious rejection of the ceasefire and the saving of human lives,” the Ukrainian president said, quoted by Reuters.
Under these conditions, it is unclear whether Kiev will respect the truce proposal submitted by Russia for May 8-9. The Russian Defense Ministry had threatened to launch missile attacks on the central area of the Ukrainian capital if the Moscow parade was “disrupted”.
