Ukraine, Russia trade aerial attacks

KYIV (AFP) — Russia and Ukraine traded a barrage of drone strikes overnight on Wednesday, in attacks that killed two in Kyiv and forced Moscow to shut major airports hours before a swathe of foreign leaders was to arrive.

The Kremlin has announced a unilateral three-day truce — set to start at 2100 GMT on Wednesday — to coincide with its grand 9 May military parade on Red Square, marking 80 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany.

China’s President Xi Jinping and Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are among 29 foreign leaders expected in Moscow to mark the occasion, which has become Russia’s most important public holiday under President Vladimir Putin.

Kyiv has dismissed Putin’s order to his troops to halt their attacks as a “manipulation” and “game” designed to protect his parade rather than a genuine peace measure.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is calling for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire — a proposal back by United States President Donald Trump and previously rejected by Putin.

Hours before Putin’s order was set to come into effect, Moscow unleashed a barrage of drone attacks across Ukraine.

“Two residents of the capital died as a result of the hostile attack,” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on social media.

The emergency services said falling debris from a drone attack on the central Shevchenkivsky district sparked a fire in an apartment block.

Agence France-Presse journalists in the capital heard loud explosions over the city at around 1 a.m.

In the morning, a first aid tent had been erected next to the charred facade of the building, blackened by the fire and with windows blown out on its top floors.

Men in camouflage were inspecting debris from a fallen drone part.