Zelenski responds to Moscow's warnings and tells Russia's allies not to come to the May 9 parade
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday warned the representatives of Russia's allied countries not to participate in the May 9 parade in Moscow, which marks the victory of the USSR in the Second World War, reports AFP, according to Agerpres.
“We have also received messages from states close to Russia indicating that their representatives intend to move to Moscow. A strange desire (…) in these times. We do not recommend this,” he warned in a speech during the evening.
On the other side, from Moscow, the Russian Defense Ministry on Thursday asked the residents of Kiev to leave the city, warning them of possible retaliatory attacks if Ukraine violates the unilateral ceasefire declared by Russia for the events of May 9.
A day earlier, Russia's foreign minister asked foreign embassies to evacuate their staff and citizens from the Ukrainian capital because of the “inevitability of retaliatory attacks” if Ukraine disrupts, particularly with a drone attack, Saturday's parade celebrating the USSR's victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.
“We remind the civilian population of Kyiv and the staff of foreign diplomatic missions of the need to leave the city in good time,” the Russian Defense Ministry warned in a statement on Thursday, promising a response in the event of a Ukrainian attack.
And the spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, spoke about the possibility of a large-scale attack by Russian forces on the Ukrainian capital, “including decision-making centers”, in the event that Ukraine attacks Moscow on Victory Day, May 9.
According to a post on the Facebook page of the Russian Embassy in Bucharest, Maria Zaharova said that accredited diplomatic missions and international organizations were sent a note with the following content:
“On May 4, 2026, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation published an official statement in connection with the threats of the Kiev regime to strike Moscow on the sacred holiday for all Russians – Victory Day in the Great War for the Defense of the Motherland.
