Zelensky wants to spoil Putin's Victory Day

MoscowVolodymyr Zelensky is trying to downplay the massive celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Victory Day in World War II, which Putin has turned into a day of glorification of his regime. Ukraine has intensified drone attacks on the Russian capital with the aim of embarrassing host Vladimir Putin in front of his guests, more than twenty world leaders. However, in the last few hours, it unexpectedly halted the offensive and de facto respected the ceasefire proposed by Putin, which it had previously rejected.

The center of Moscow is sealed off, and getting around is a nightmare for residents. The Kremlin asked Muscovites for "understanding" for the internet outages, which continued until Saturday. Cash payments are also recommended because payment terminals and instant transfers will not work, and shops on the streets where the traditional military parade will pass this Friday are forced to close.

Authorities have even banned people from lighting fireworks, arguing that "provocations" are on the rise. They don't say which ones, but it's understood they're referring to Ukrainian drones. Moscow has been on edge since Zelensky warned that he was "not responsible" for the safety of heads of state attending Victory Day events. The Russian government has accused him of being a "terrorist" and a "provocateur," and the Ukrainian leader has responded by warning of possible Russian false-flag attacks to blame Kiev.

The truth is that the Ukrainian military has stepped up its deployment of drones against Russian territory in recent days. In 24 hours, Russian air defenses shot down 524, the highest number in a single day since the start of the war. The drones have focused on the Moscow region, which is not usually a target of this type of attack. Early Tuesday morning, Kiev's troops launched the largest number of drones since March 11, when the most massive attack on the capital during the entire war took place. They then repelled Ukrainian drones for three consecutive nights as they headed toward the city.

What Zelensky is seeking is to instill fear in Russians and hinder the normal conduct of the celebrations. That's why Ukrainian drones also attacked military airfields from which planes participating in the parade depart, causing significant air chaos, with dozens of flights canceled across the country. All of this has forced a ten-hour shutdown of Vnukovo Airport, where the vast majority of foreign delegations are scheduled to arrive.

Putin has not received so many international guests since 2015. On Wednesday, he met with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, among others. On Thursday, he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russia's closest ally and undoubtedly the most prominent figure to visit the Russian capital. Also in Moscow are Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and three European leaders: Serbian Aleksandar Vucic; Bosnian Serb minority leader Milorad Dodik, who is subject to an international arrest warrant; and Slovak Robert Fico, the sole EU leader.

Zelensky respects the truce

To keep the holiday peaceful, a unilateral 72-hour truce, pushed by Putin, came into effect at midnight. Zelensky had rejected it, but which, unexpectedly, initial reports suggest he is respecting. Unlike previous nights, there has been no exchange of drones, although the Ukrainian Armed Forces have reported a bombing in Sumi and Russian assault operations at several points along the front.

The question is whether the Ukrainian president will maintain this strategy on May 9. According to experts, it is highly unlikely that Zelensky intends to strike at Moscow during the Victory Day ceremonies. Ukrainian defense sources assure inThe Washington Post which, on the one hand, would make it almost impossible for an attack to succeed due to the city's armoring, and on the other, could provoke Russian retaliation and anger Washington.

Ukraine and the United States remain in favor of a 30-day truce. Because they understand that Putin's initiative only benefits Russia and allows it to celebrate Victory Day in peace. That's why it has been popularly dubbed the truce of chashlik, the kebabs that Russians cook on barbecues on their right sides during the holidays.

Likewise, this Monday Donald Trump applauded the Russian president's proposal. "A three-day truce doesn't seem like much, but it's a lot, coming from where we're coming from," he said. The American president's reaction may have changed Zelensky's mind; while he doesn't agree with the truce, he wants to avoid being portrayed as an obstacle to peace.