May 8, 2025 7:31 am
Full News

Russia Says 60,000 Passengers Stranded After Massive Ukrainian Drone Attack

At least 60,000 air passengers have been stranded across Russia following a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack, according to Russian officials.

Russia’s Association of Tour Operators (Ator) reported that around 350 flights were affected since Tuesday night in cities including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, and others. Three major airports serving Moscow—Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo, and Domodedovo—experienced major disruptions, with 110 flights canceled in the capital alone. In St. Petersburg, 55 flights were either canceled or delayed, and footage from Pulkovo Airport showed planes lined up on the runway with passengers reportedly waiting for hours.

Airports in several other cities, including Sochi, Kazan, Kirov, and Nizhnekamsk, also reported disruptions.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that 524 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and destroyed in the past 24 hours—a record number if verified. No casualties have been reported in Russia. However, Ukraine reported that a Russian missile and drone strike killed two people, a woman and her son, in Kyiv overnight.

These attacks occurred just hours before a Russian-declared three-day ceasefire was due to begin at midnight Wednesday, ahead of the Victory Day parade on May 9. Kyiv dismissed the ceasefire announcement as a “theatrical play” and reiterated its call for an unconditional 30-day truce—supported by Ukraine’s Western allies.

Russia has proposed strict conditions for any peace negotiations, which Ukrainian and European leaders have criticized as an attempt to prolong the war and force Ukraine to surrender.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that Moscow’s demands were excessive. “We think they are asking for too much,” he stated, adding that both sides need to begin serious talks. Vance also took a more cooperative tone toward Europe than in previous months, saying, “The U.S. and Europe are still on the same team.”

Meanwhile, international travel was also affected. A plane carrying Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić had to make an emergency landing in Baku, Azerbaijan, due to the drone attacks, before eventually continuing to Moscow. Vučić and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico—one of the few EU leaders expected to attend the parade—both faced airspace denials from Baltic states. Estonia explicitly opposed participating in what it called “Russian propaganda events.”

Russia claims 27 world leaders are attending the Moscow celebrations. Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro have already arrived. Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Moscow as well, with China sending 102 troops—the largest foreign military contingent—for the May 9 parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II.

Victory Day is Russia’s most significant national holiday. President Vladimir Putin often draws comparisons between the Soviet victory in World War II and his current war in Ukraine—a claim firmly rejected by Kyiv and the West. Ukraine’s foreign ministry called the Russian commemorations a distortion of history, stating, “These people are not liberators—they are occupiers and war criminals.”

Ukraine has warned foreign leaders against attending the parade in Moscow, saying it cannot guarantee anyone’s safety on Russian soil. President Zelensky has also warned that the Kremlin could stage provocations to frame Ukraine during the celebrations.

Related News
Is Bangladesh Facing Sanctions Under the Trump Administration?
Court Accepts Petition Claiming Ajmer Sharif Dargah Was Originally a Hindu Temple
New Innovation: Bulldozer Politics in Bangladesh
Bangladesh’s caretaker government, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohammad Yunus, has destroyed the careers of hundreds of journalists- in just the first 100 days of its rule
UK’s Starmer in Kyiv for Security Talks, Pledges Century-Long Partnership with Ukraine
Alfred went from breaking point to Olympic 100m gold
Related Posts
Chief Justice Roberts Defends Judiciary Amid Trump’s Impeachment Threats
What We Know About Pakistan’s Claim of Shooting Down 5 Indian Fighter Jets
US and UK to Announce Trade Deal on Thursday
Soviet-Era Spacecraft Cosmos 482 Expected to Reenter Earth’s Atmosphere After Over 50 Years
Quad Concludes Simulation Exercise to Advance Indo-Pacific Logistics Network
10 Family Members of Masood Azhar Killed in Indian Airstrike
More News

Vice President JD Vance to Visit Pituffik Space Base in Greenland for Arctic Security Briefing

The U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance will travel to Pituffik Space Base in Greenland on Friday to receive a high-level briefing on Arctic security concerns and engage with U.S. servicemembers stationed at the base. As the northernmost installation of the U.S. Department of Defense, Pituffik Space Base plays a critical […]

Crackdown on Turkish Artists Amid Rising Political Repression After Imamoglu’s Arrest

Since the arrest of Istanbul Mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem Imamoglu on March 19, political repression against dissenters in Turkey has intensified significantly—extending into the country’s arts and entertainment industry. Particularly, actors who have supported opposition calls for boycotts have become prime targets of attacks. The opposition’s campaign has urged citizens to boycott pro-government companies, […]

33 Killed, 1,500 Inmates Escape in Mozambique Prison Riot

A violent riot has erupted in a prison in Mozambique, a country in southeastern Africa, leaving 33 people dead and 15 others injured. Additionally, more than 1,500 inmates have escaped during the chaos. According to separate reports from Reuters and the BBC on Thursday (December 26), Mozambique’s police chief Bernardino Rafael confirmed on Wednesday that […]

Over 27,000 Foreign Nationals in Malaysia Benefit from Repatriation Programme

More than 27,000 foreign nationals guilty of immigration offences in Malaysia have utilized the government’s Migrant Repatriation Programme to return home by paying a nominal fine. The initiative, which began on March 1 and is set to conclude on December 31, has generated RM13.12 million (US$2.96 million) in fines, according to Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department […]

Barca face their biggest rivals looking for a perfect finish to a memorable week.

Real Madrid CF (2nd, 24pts) vs FC Barcelona (1st, 27pts) Barcelona tops with 27 points in 10 matches. Real is number two with 24 points in the equal match. If Real wins at home today, they will catch Barcelona. On the other hand, a Barca win means the distance will increase further The Santiago Bernabeu […]

Elon Musk Reportedly Meets Iran’s UN Ambassador Amid Rising US-Iran Tensions

Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and a close ally of President-elect Donald Trump, reportedly held a private meeting with Iran’s UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani in New York earlier this week, according to The New York Times. Citing two Iranian officials, the report claims the meeting, held at a secret location, lasted over an […]

South Korea Uncovers Russia-North Korea Missile Exchange Deal for Troops

South Korea has revealed that Russia provided air defense missiles to North Korea in exchange for sending troops to support Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine, according to a senior government official. Shin Wonsik, the national security adviser to President Yoon Suk Yeol, disclosed on Friday during a televised interview that Russian-supplied missiles and other equipment […]

Anderson returns to professional cricket with T20

James Anderson was not in the middle of the game after the farewell Test last July. The English pacer is finally going to return to professional cricket. And he is doing so by extending his one-year contract to his old county team Lancashire. Anderson is returning to professional cricket with T20 – a format he […]

Japan’s Worst Wildfire in Half a Century

The coastal city of Ofunato in northern Japan is battling the worst wildfire the country has seen in half a century. According to the Japan Times, not since the last three decades has Japan witnessed such a massive blaze. So far, the fire has claimed one life. Disaster management officials reported that the wildfire has […]

US, Japan, and South Korea Coordinate Response to North Korean Threats

The leaders of the United States, Japan, and South Korea are strengthening their trilateral defense cooperation in response to North Korean threats, with plans to expand joint military exercises, according to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. “We’ve made significant progress on areas like technology protection, supply chain diversification, missile warning systems, and the sharing of […]