President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on the strengthening of Russian air defense around Moscow ahead of the May 9 parade and gave specific instructions to Ukrainian intelligence. This he stated after the report of the Head of the HUR Oleh Ivashchenko.
According to the head of state, Ukrainian intelligence has clear documents regarding Russia's plans to exploit the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. This involves the large-scale removal of resources from southern regions, specifically titanium, lithium, tantalum, niobium, zircon, molybdenum, and graphite — from at least 18 deposits. The occupiers also plan to export this year's grain harvest.
In addition, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted, the losses of the Russian economy from Ukrainian long-range sanctions are growing. According to internal RF estimates, this is already significantly hitting regional budgets, some of which are effectively approaching bankruptcy.
At the same time, Ukraine is recording the strengthening of Russian air defense around Moscow. According to the president, the Russians are moving air defense systems from other regions, forming additional rings of protection for the capital.
"This shows that the Russian leadership is not preparing for a ceasefire and cares about its parade in Moscow more than about the rest of Russia," — he emphasized.
Against this background, Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the Main Intelligence Directorate to determine new priorities, given the open opportunities to influence Russian military capabilities.
The President also emphasized that Ukraine remains open to a diplomatic settlement and has repeatedly offered Russia a real ceasefire. According to him, these proposals remain in force, and Ukraine's partners support this position.
As a reminder, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia had violated the silence regime that Ukraine declared starting from May 6 and promised to act symmetrically. The regime was supposed to start at 00:00 on May 6, but the RF did not react and continued shelling. Before this, on May 4, the Russian Ministry of Defense unilaterally announced a "truce" for May 8–9 and threatened a massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv in case of a "disruption" of the parade in Moscow.
