Kremlin’s Oreshnik threats against Kyiv linked to May 9 parade fears — analyst

He shared this opinion on Espreso TV.

"The Kremlin is seriously worried their holiday will be ruined, along with Xi Jinping’s big visit to Moscow. They’re afraid he might change plans and go to Switzerland instead, where U.S.–China trade talks are kicking off. That’s a big deal globally right now," Yizhak said.

The analyst pointed out that Moscow has no intention of stopping fire on the front lines, and all these so-called “truce initiatives” are just political pressure on Ukraine.

"The Russians are basically saying: don’t mess up their holiday. At the same time, they’re hinting that if we don’t hold this ‘march of the dead’ in Kyiv and don’t celebrate with them, they’ll hit the capital with the Oreshnik missile. But if there’s a march with Saint George ribbons, they won’t strike. It’s pressure — so we don't mess up their holiday and also meant to make us mark these days the way Russia wants. There’s nothing new here. There’s no ceasefire. This is just a political move by Russia to make sure they can celebrate their holiday with no disruptions," he added.

• On the night of May 6, Russia launched drones and ballistic missiles across Ukraine. In Zaporizhzhia, they hit an infrastructure site, injuring at least four people. In several parts of Kyiv, missile debris hit residential buildings, and warehouses caught fire. There are casualties, including children.
• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reacted to Russia's overnight attack on Ukraine. According to them, Russia rejects Ukraine's proposal for a ceasefire.