**Escalation in Ukraine: Dueling Strikes Before Victory Day Events**

**In a tense lead-up to Russia's Victory Day celebrations, both Russia and Ukraine engaged in reciprocal attacks, underscoring the fragility of peace amid ongoing hostilities.**

Russia and Ukraine intensified their military operations on Wednesday, just a day prior to a proposed three-day cease-fire by Russia. This was intended to honor the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II in Europe. The surge in violence included a drone strike in Kyiv, which tragically resulted in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to eight others, featuring four children among the wounded.

The cease-fire was scheduled to begin at midnight on Wednesday, coinciding with a significant parade in Moscow attended by international dignitaries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky swiftly dismissed the cease-fire proposal as insufficient for meaningful negotiations, suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced the truce primarily to ease the concerns of guests at the upcoming parade. Ukraine indicated that it would consider a cease-fire if extended to a 30-day period.

The violence peaked on Wednesday with missile and drone assaults on Kyiv, coming on the heels of a prior Ukrainian drone incursion that struck Moscow, resulting in damage to a building and temporarily halting airport operations in the capital. Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, disclosed that air defense forces successfully intercepted seven UAVs near the city earlier in the day.

In the chaos of the Kyiv attack, local authorities issued warnings regarding potential Russian ballistic missile strikes. Explosions rang out just after 1 a.m., although it remains uncertain if the missiles were intercepted or if any struck their intended targets. Kyiv's military administration reported incidents of debris damage across the city, with air defense units engaged in countermeasures throughout the urban center.

Further reports indicated that damage and fires occurred in various neighborhoods, particularly affecting an office building, a construction site, and residential apartments. Firefighters discovered the two fatalities in an apartment complex that had been engulfed in flames, and among the injured were three children suffering from burns.

Meanwhile, in southern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, local officials reported their own encounters with drones, as Ukrainian forces continued to target regions within Russia.

As the frontlines remain volatile, the upcoming commemorative events in Moscow are set against a backdrop of uncertainty and mounting military tension.