"In this situation, provocations can be directed by the Russian special services against the Russian civilian population and timed to certain dates," Yusov said. "The enemy often chooses symbolic dates for this," said Andriy Yusov, a representative of the intelligence body, saying Moscow had employed the tactic since its invasion of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and support for separatists in Ukraine's east in 2014. On May 7, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate warned of Russian "provocations" ahead of the May 9 World War II victory celebrations. 'The Whole Army Must Move Forward': Fighting Rages In Bakhmut As Momentum Builds For Ukraine's CounteroffensiveĮarlier, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said five people were injured overnight as a result of a drone strike that damaged buildings and infrastructure. "Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded civilians, and high-rise buildings, private homes, and other civilian infrastructure were damaged," the General Staff said. It said the missile strikes targeted the regions of Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolayiv, and Odesa and inflicted human casualties. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in its morning update on May 8 that "the enemy again attacked the territory of Ukraine, using Iranian Shahed attack drones," claiming "35 out of 35 drones were destroyed by our defenders." Ukrainian intelligence has warned about the possibility of Russian provocations on the occasion of May 9, and Kyiv's military command said it shot down 35 suicide drones and 16 missiles used to attack Ukrainian territory ahead of the events. On May 8, he said his forces have begun to receive more supplies. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner Group, had blamed a lack of ammunition for his group’s inability to capture Bakhmut and just days ago threatened to pull out of the city if it did not soon arrive. The Russian assault is being led by Wagner mercenaries. Russia has been besieging Bakhmut in the Donetsk region since last summer and has yet to take the city. Russia has suffered about 200,000 casualties by some estimates during the 14-month war and continues to lose dozens a day in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, the war’s hot spot. IN PHOTOS: Kyiv's military command says it shot down 35 suicide drones and 16 missiles used to attack Ukrainian territory overnight on May 8 as Ukrainian intelligence warned about the possibility of Russian provocations on the occasion of May 9. Some experts have speculated that Russia is worried about possible social unrest as citizens remember family members killed or severely injured in the war in Ukraine. More than 20 Russian cities have canceled Victory Day parades this year, while celebrations in Moscow have been scaled back. The accusation is viewed by Kyiv and its allies as a baseless claim used as another pretext for Russia's invasion. Putin has used Russia's May 9 Victory Day celebrations in recent years to promote his argument that Ukraine is gripped by fascism similar to that of Nazi Germany. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, claiming the Eastern European country is part of the Russian world and that Ukrainians and Russians are “one people.” "Ukraine has always been, is, and will be a part of. "Together with all of free Europe, we will mark May 9 in Ukraine as Europe Day - of a united Europe, the basis of which should be and will be peace of our Europe," Zelenskiy said. "We destroyed evil together, in the same way as we are now standing together against a similar evil," he said in a direct reference to Russia and its unprovoked invasion. Zelenskiy said in a video statement on May 8 that Russian forces invading his country would be defeated with the help of Western allies just like Nazi Germany was beaten in World War II. Russia and other former Soviet countries celebrate the end of World War II on May 9, while Europe celebrates it a day earlier. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here. RFE/RL's Live Briefinggives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians.
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