Russia launched dozens of drone strikes throughout Ukraine on the eve of a vacation celebrating the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Kyiv's mayor mentioned Russia had fired 60 Iranian-made kamikaze drones at Ukrainian targets, together with 36 on the capital.

All drones had been shot down however particles hit flats and different buildings, injuring at the least 5 individuals in Kyiv.

Russian army 'blackmailed and humiliated' - Ukraine latest

A meals warehouse was additionally set on fireplace by a missile within the Black Sea metropolis of Odesa, the place officers reported three individuals had been injured.

Air raid alerts blared over roughly two-thirds of Ukraine for hours, with native media saying explosions sounded within the southern area of Kherson and south-eastern Zaporizhzhia.

Meanwhile, Russian artillery shelling wounded eight individuals, together with a nine-year-old boy, in two villages in Ukraine's southern area of Kherson on Monday, regional officers mentioned.

Russia's assault comes on the eve of its 9 May Victory Day vacation, celebrating the defeat of Nazi Germany.

But in a symbolic break with Moscow, Ukraine has moved the vacation to eight May - when Western nations rejoice Victory in Europe Day.

The distinction in celebration dates is all the way down to the German military's 1945 give up taking impact on 8 May in Berlin however 9 May in Moscow.

The in a single day strikes are the most important drone swarm but in a renewed Russian air marketing campaign that started ten days in the past.

Kyiv mentioned Moscow was additionally making a last push to seize the japanese metropolis of Bakhmut earlier than the 9 May vacation.

"Recalling the heroism of millions of Ukrainians in that war against Nazism, we see the same heroism in the actions of our soldiers today," mentioned Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who addressed the nation from a hilltop overlooking Kyiv.

"Unfortunately, evil has returned. Just as evil rushed into our towns and villages then, so it does now. As it killed our people then, so it does now.

"And all of the outdated evil that trendy Russia is bringing again can be defeated, simply as Nazism was defeated."

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Moscow is making ready for Tuesday's Victory Day parade, a very powerful day within the calendar for Russia beneath Putin, who makes use of the 1945 Soviet conquer Nazi Germany to justify his invasion of Ukraine.

Russia has curtailed among the enormous army celebrations, which Western nations say is all the way down to safety considerations and partly as a result of Moscow has misplaced a lot army {hardware} in a winter offensive in Ukraine that has seen probably the most intense floor fight in Europe since World War Two.

Russia overseas ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova mentioned that by altering the date, Mr Zelenskyy had betrayed the reminiscence of Ukrainians who fought the Nazis.

"What is worse than an enemy? A traitor. That is Zelenskyy, the embodiment of Judas in the 21st century," she mentioned.