Following recent threats from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukrainian armed forces could strike Moscow during the Victory Day parade, and amid ongoing drone attacks on Russian cities as deep as 1,500 kilometers from the border, demands are increasing in Russia for President Putin to take more decisive and drastic measures against Kyiv. Many Russian military officials are asking the Kremlin when "real attacks" and military operations will begin, warning that Kyiv is constantly increasing its missile capabilities and its ability to strike deep inside Russian territory. Although Russia is sending warning messages, such as the launch of the Sarmat intercontinental missile with a 35,000-kilometer range or today’s attack with at least 200 Geran drones across 14 Ukrainian regions, many officials argue that the best air defense is for the Russian army to enter and capture Kyiv.
They are testing us
According to Russian military channels, during the recent ceasefire, Ukrainian forces did not stop their attacks but instead made new attempts to break through the front. While Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that Ukraine is asking the European Union to help reach an agreement with Russia for a mutual halt to attacks on airfields and aviation infrastructure, drone attacks continue, which Russian commentators say Kyiv is investing in strategically. Dmitry Dzhinikashvili, head of the central office of the Union of Donbass Volunteers, argues that much more serious drone and missile attacks are just a matter of time. "The issue is the start date. We saw a drone fall on Mosfilmovskaya Street in Moscow. These are the first warning signs that they are testing the ground. They are trying to understand where anti-aircraft missiles will be launched from and where interceptor fighters will take off. This interests not only Kyiv, but also its Western supporters, who are intensifying the hysteria about a potential Russian attack on NATO," the Russian military official noted.
In a night
He further warned that there are many strategic targets in and around Moscow that interest Kyiv more than symbolic events like the Victory Day parade. He also expressed concern regarding public access to cadastral maps. "The most important thing in cadastral maps is the precise geolocation of objects. Even if strategic facilities do not appear, there are precise topographic coordinates. A specialist may not even need to operate the drone directly. There are technologies that allow an AI program to be written in a single night. The operator simply corrects heights and coordinates. Thus, the drone flies without human intervention, and the human intervenes only at the final stage for the dive and the strike. The entire route can be done in radio silence," Dzhinikashvili claimed.
This is only the beginning
Dzhinikashvili estimated that attacks on Russian cities located over 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border are only the beginning. "They will constantly increase the distances. In Cheboksary, fifth-generation missiles were already used. We will see what happens when seventh-generation systems start being used. The opponent is conducting a total war, including sabotage. Even the Baltic corridor is used. The fact that drones sometimes fall in the Baltic states is simply collateral damage. For them, the most important thing is the intelligence collection on Russian radars and the positions of air defense systems," he pointed out.
"We must enter Kyiv"
The Russian commentator concluded that, no matter how much Russia strengthens its air defense and creates decoy radar positions, the only real way to stop the Ukrainian threat is "the presence of Russian infantry in the Ukrainian capital." "This is the best air defense," stated Dzhinikashvili. When asked if it is feasible for infantry to advance to major strategic targets under current technological warfare conditions, he said the modern battlefield has become a highly complex technological environment with a massive presence of robotic systems, artificial intelligence, and unmanned vehicles. "Today the operator can be in Krakow or Lviv and the drone can operate in the direction of Kramatorsk. It is extremely difficult to conduct offensive operations in the classic way, where infantry and armor capture defense lines. The soldier can be monitored from the air or by ground robotic systems," noted the Russian expert, who nevertheless underlined that Russia is constantly seeking new tactical solutions.
To hit them mercilessly
It is not only Dzhinikashvili warning of the threat from Ukraine and calling for a tougher response from Russia. Many Russian analysts and experts argue that Moscow should have hit the Ukrainians mercilessly in their "heart," in Kyiv, when they threatened to disrupt the May 9th parade. Only a few weeks ago, at the Social Committee of Russia, former Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, General Yuri Baluyevsky, delivered an unexpectedly harsh speech. The veteran military officer posed a question that many were afraid to articulate publicly: "When, when will we start fighting for real?" On the eve of May 9th, the Russian Ministry of Defense responded for the first time to Volodymyr Zelensky’s repeated statements about potential attacks on Red Square. It is no secret that part of the population believed that if Kyiv dared such a thing, Moscow would respond in a way that would shock the Ukrainian capital. Similar questions were voiced at the front as well.
Preemptive strike
Russian blogger Mikhail Onufrienko commented: "The most dangerous thing is the disappointment of the fighters on the front line. People, our own people, are increasingly using the phrase 'under-the-table deal.' Following the Ministry of Defense's statement about a potential strike on Kyiv, soldiers are wondering: 'So we can hit much harder, but we don't. Why?'" Retired Colonel Evgeny Krivosheev stated that if this decision was made, "then that's how it had to be." "I do not doubt the wisdom of our Supreme Commander at all. If this decision was taken, it means it was necessary. I comfort myself with the thought that we know much less than the leadership knows. However, Baluyevsky’s question does not leave my mind: 'When?'. Perhaps Zelensky's threat should have been exploited for a preemptive strike on Kyiv. But imagine if some reckless people there, motivated only by money, gave the order to hit the parade. Then I wonder what would cause a greater sensation in the West: an attack on Red Square or the response in Kyiv? I suspect the communication advantage would not be on our side," Krivosheev emphasized.
"We would not be ashamed before our ancestors"
Along the same lines, Russian retired Colonel Aslan Nakhushev argues that this year’s Victory Day should have been accompanied by "inflicting unacceptable damage on the opponent through multiple tactical strikes against strategic military and infrastructure targets." "This would be a real Victory Day. Our great ancestors — and my father, a machine-gun commander — would not be ashamed of their descendants," he stated. He recalled that throughout the conflict, there has been only one strike against a "decision-making center" in Kyiv, which he said had a greater impact than many mass drone and missile attacks.
The attack with 14 Iskander missiles
According to Nakhushev, two years ago in May 2024, 14 Iskander-M missiles struck the headquarters of the Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) on Rybalsky Island. The Ukrainian defense reacted with three incomplete Patriot batteries, which were still fully controlled by American military personnel at the time. Out of the 14 Russian missiles, two hit buildings of the intelligence complex, one fell in the courtyard, one landed in the Dnieper near the Havansky Bridge, and ten were intercepted. As a result, several thousand square meters of offices were destroyed. All personnel were in shelters. To repel the attack, the Ukrainian side used 112 PAC-3 missiles. It is claimed that the Americans were deeply concerned by the enormous cost of the ammunition.
Accidental hit on a government building
Nakhushev estimates that an attack on the center of Kyiv with conventional means can primarily deliver a psychological blow to Ukrainian society, as he says "90% of Kyiv's military actions are designed for psychological effect." "If we manage to cause serious damage to the complexes of the presidential office, the government, Parliament, the SBU, and the Ministry of Defense, this in itself will have an extremely negative impact on the Ukrainian people, debunking the false propaganda narratives of the Kyiv authorities. On September 7, 2025, a 'Geran-2' diverted by electronic warfare systems accidentally fell on the roof of a Ukrainian government building. The communicative impact of this event exceeded that of five mass attacks by the Russian air force," he claimed.
Even nuclear weapons
The Russian colonel cites data according to which, in early May, the number of drones on both sides is roughly at the same level, although the Russian "Gerans" are considered more effective. As he notes, "the alarming trends are evident": from May 1st to 8th, the Ukrainian side launched 3,529 drones — a number that previously corresponded to the average monthly production from July 2025 to February 2026. "The impression is given that the enemy put a factory into operation in early March with a capacity equivalent to that of Alabuga. If the West and Kyiv achieved such a thing with drones, who can guarantee that the same will not happen with 'Flamingo' missiles by the end of the year? And then hundreds of ballistic and cruise missiles will head toward Moscow. The war must end with unconditional victory as soon as possible. Otherwise, there is a risk of seeing even nuclear weapons in Kyiv," Nakhushev stated with concern.
"Under what terms? For a shameful peace of 3-5 years?"
At the same time, the Kremlin announced that since there were no attacks on Red Square, there were no strikes on Kyiv. However, a phrase by Vladimir Putin, which theoretically should have closed the discussion, created new questions: "I think the Ukrainian conflict is heading toward its end." Blogger Onufrienko commented that this "differs somewhat" from previous statements that "there is nothing to discuss with Zelensky." "And it is not clear exactly what we are talking about. For denazification and demilitarization? For the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Kherson and Zaporizhia? Or only from a few thousand square kilometers of the Donbass they still control? Everyone is tired of this war that has lasted over 50 months. But what exactly are they ready to sign? Under what terms? For what purpose? For a shameful peace lasting 3 to 5 years?" Onufrienko wonders, emphasizing that "the key question remains: how soon will we reach the 'end' the Russian president spoke of."
Su-57 reportedly shot down Swedish aircraft
Multiple independent sources report an unprecedented incident which — according to Russian military channels — neither Ukraine nor its Western supporters expected from the start of the war. According to information, for the first time during the "special military operation," a Russian fifth-generation Su-57 fighter allegedly shot down a Saab 340 AEW&C early warning and control aircraft, which had been delivered to Ukraine from Sweden. The Saab 340 is not considered just "an aircraft with a radar," but a flying command center capable of monitoring the battlefield within a radius of hundreds of kilometers. The PS-890 Erieye radar reportedly detects low-flying targets, even when they try to hide in the terrain. Ukraine considered such aircraft particularly important as they can coordinate strikes with Western missile systems and direct aviation without exposing pilots to Russian air defense systems.
It was downed by a Russian R-37M air-to-air missile
However, according to Russian analysts, the powerful radar also constitutes a "large electromagnetic signature." It is claimed that the Russian N036 'Belka' radar of the Su-57 detected the signal of the PS-890, and subsequently, an R-37M air-to-air missile was launched. This specific missile is considered by Russian media to be one of the strongest weapons in its category, with a range exceeding 300 kilometers and a speed of nearly Mach 6. According to the same reports, the warning systems of the Swedish aircraft were activated when the missile was already in the final stage of approach, and the electronic warfare systems placed on the Saab 340 failed to protect it. "If the incident is confirmed, it will be a particularly significant episode highlighting the capabilities of Russian aviation technology and weapon systems," stated analysts from the 'Voennaya Khronika' channel on Telegram. According to them, the loss of such an aircraft would be a serious blow to the aerial reconnaissance and coordination capabilities of the Ukrainian air force. However, it is noted that so far there is no official confirmation from either Russia or Ukraine.
Threats against Siberia
At the same time, Russian military channels warn that as Ukraine faces difficulties at the front, it is turning increasingly to long-range drone attacks. The commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert Brovdi, known by the nickname Madyar, reportedly stated that during the three-day ceasefire, Ukraine was "accumulating resources," filling warehouses in Western Ukraine with new long-range drones. According to the same sources, Madyar warned that after the ceasefire ends, a "completely new pace and new geography of attacks" will be presented. The reports claim he openly threatened attacks against military and energy infrastructure beyond the Urals. "Siberia may be beyond the mountains, but it is not far away at all," he allegedly stated.
The "nightmare" of the Ukrainian forces
Meanwhile, Ukrainian sources have brought back reports regarding "pipeline tactics." According to these, Russian units in the Zaporizhia direction are using underground natural gas pipelines to move secretly into the rear of Ukrainian forces. These reports recall previous operations, such as in Avdiivka and Sudzha, where the 'Potok' or 'Truba' operation significantly contributed to the collapse of Ukrainian defense lines. In Ukrainian Telegram channels, fears are expressed that Russian forces "returned underground," something that — if confirmed — would mean the Russian command has found a way to bypass Western satellite surveillance. The picture is completed by statements from Ukrainian political analyst Andriy Zolotaryov, who argued that Kyiv’s expectations of maintaining a massive army after the end of the war are unrealistic. As he stated, European funding is not inexhaustible and the "demilitarization" of Ukraine may not arise legally, but it will arise economically. "Europe will not be able — even if it wants to — to maintain an army of 600,000 men in a country without exports, without industry, and with an economy based solely on loans," Zolotaryov stated. According to him, even maintaining an army of 200,000 men will be difficult to fund long-term.
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