When it comes to moscow shuts down airports and mobile signals as victory day parade looms, russia shut all four of Moscow's airports and disrupted mobile internet access for many residents on Tuesday as authorities tightened security before the 9 May Victory Day parade, a national celebration already scaled back amid fears that Ukrainian drones could reach the capital and threaten the event.
Understanding Moscow Shuts Down Airports And Mobile Signals As Victory Day Parade Looms
Residents woke to dead mobile signals across Moscow, leaving people whose jobs depend on online services struggling to work. Taxi drivers said they couldn't receive fares. Delivery couriers knocked on customers' doors and asked to use home wifi so they could mark orders as complete. Originally reported by The Guardian.
By midday, access appeared to have been largely restored. All four airports had also suspended operations over unspecified security concerns. Russian officials have previously defended such shutdowns as necessary to counter drone attacks and acts of sabotage.
The restrictions have been deeply unpopular and have dented Vladimir Putin's approval ratings in recent weeks. For workers dependent on mobile connections, Tuesday's disruption brought the security measures directly into their working day. The airport suspensions and communications outage illustrate the reach of precautions extending well beyond Red Square, even as authorities prepare a reduced version of Russia's most prominent annual national celebration for residents and visitors alike.
Drone strike sharpens Red Square concerns
On Monday morning, a drone struck a high-rise apartment building just a few miles from the Kremlin. The attack demonstrated Ukraine's ability to penetrate Moscow's dense air defence systems and underscored the threat hanging over preparations for the 9 May commemoration.
The parade, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany, won't feature heavy military hardware for the first time in nearly two decades. That's a significant departure for Russia's foremost national celebration, with the display being curtailed as concerns about long-range Ukrainian drone strikes grow.
Checkpoints have been set up across the city. Snipers and machine-gun crews have been deployed on Kremlin towers, adding a visible layer of protection around the seat of Russian power. But the recent strike near the Kremlin shows why the threat isn't confined to the front lines: Moscow itself remains within reach despite the air defences surrounding the capital and its most closely guarded government institutions.
Rival ceasefires expose dispute over parade
Earlier this month, Moscow announced a unilateral ceasefire with Ukraine for 8-9 May, apparently seeking to shield the parade from attack. A warning of a "massive missile strike" on central Kyiv if the ceasefire were violated was attributed to Moscow.
Ukraine dismissed the proposal as a cynical attempt to protect the event from drone attacks. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine's president, instead announced a separate truce from 6 May, rejecting the idea that Kyiv should follow a ceasefire timetable linked to a Russian military holiday.
Speaking during a visit to Armenia, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that expectation was "not serious" and said Moscow feared that "drones may buzz over Red Square". The competing announcements leave the two sides advocating different starting dates for pauses in fighting. At issue isn't simply the timing: Kyiv has publicly challenged Moscow's rationale for calling a halt around its military commemoration rather than accepting the particular proposed dates.
Putin's protection tightened beyond public events
Security precautions have also expanded around Vladimir Putin personally in recent months, according to a European intelligence report cited by the outlet iStories. The account describes measures extending beyond the streets and checkpoints visible ahead of Victory Day.
Russia's Federal Protective Service (FSO), responsible for guarding senior officials, has significantly tightened protection around the president, the report said. Vladimir Putin is said to be spending more time in underground bunkers while closely managing the war effort, becoming increasingly removed from civilian life.
The report also said cooks, bodyguards and photographers working with the president are banned from travelling on public transport, reflecting fears inside the Kremlin of a possible assassination attack. Those reported restrictions place the president's personal safety alongside the wider effort to secure Moscow. They describe a protective system reaching into the routines of staff who work closely around him each day, not just his own public movements.
As 9 May approaches, Moscow's preparations are being shaped by drone risks and competing ceasefire proposals, with the parade proceeding under restrictions that already affect daily life.
Originally reported by The Guardian. View original.