August M
Russian-installed authorities in occupied Crimea have cancelled major Victory Day celebrations this year as Ukrainian strikes on the peninsula continue to intensify.
Ziare.com reported that occupation officials cited security concerns for scrapping military parades and public marches linked to Russia’s May 9 commemorations.
Parades abandoned
According to Ziare.com, Crimea’s Russian-appointed leader Sergei Aksionov confirmed there would be no large-scale Victory Day parade or “Immortal Regiment” procession this year.
“This decision of the authorities is based on security considerations,” Aksionov wrote on Telegram.
He added that alternative commemorations would still be organised and promised that Crimea would mark the occasion “with dignity”.
Ukrainian pressure grows
The cancellation comes after a series of Ukrainian attacks targeting Russian military infrastructure across occupied Crimea.
Ziare.com cited reports from Ukraine’s military intelligence agency HUR, which recently published footage showing strikes against Russian assets on the peninsula.
Among the reported targets were a Be-12 Chaika aircraft, three Project 05060 boats, a support vessel and a military storage facility.
“Ghosts” operation
According to HUR, the attacks were carried out by its special unit known as “Ghosts”.
“Specialists from the ”Ghosts” unit continue to implement a systematic approach to neutralizing Russian military facilities in temporarily occupied Crimea,” the agency said.
The growing number of strikes has increased pressure on Russia’s Black Sea operations and forced Moscow to strengthen security measures in occupied territories.
Ceasefire doubts
Ziare.com also reported that Ukraine remains skeptical about Moscow’s proposal for a temporary ceasefire during May 8-9 celebrations.
A senior Ukrainian official reportedly said: “We simply don’t see the point (of respecting it) for the parade.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly argued that Russia violated earlier holiday ceasefires, including during Orthodox Easter, when Ukrainian officials recorded thousands of alleged breaches.
The report added that even Moscow’s Victory Day parade is expected to be scaled back this year because of what Russian authorities described as the “current operational situation.”
Sources: Ziare.com, Kyiv Independent.
