"Day of Victory" over Hitler's Germany: According to Kyiv, Putin's Russia also wants to celebrate it in Mariupol

Created: 05/05/2022, 12:05 p.m

By: Franziska Schwarz

The Ukrainian port city of Mariupol has almost been razed to the ground.

According to Kyiv, Moscow wants to hold “celebrations” there in a few days.

The news ticker.

• Escalated

  Ukraine conflict

  :

  Vladimir Putin's troops report new military successes.

• Military parade on May 9 in Mariupol?: According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy's website, Moscow wants to hold a military parade on May 9 - in Mariupol.

• Moscow hosts huge celebrations on May 9th: This year, Russia wants to hold big celebrations in several cities on May 9th again this year.

• This 

  news ticker on military developments in the Ukraine war

   is constantly updated.

  You can read the background to the Ukraine war here.

Kyiv - The Ukraine war is still the scene of brutal fighting.

This map shows where the Ukraine war is raging.

Also this Thursday (May 4), Russia's Defense Ministry published a new situation report.

Vladimir Putin's tactical air force and army aviation fired on 93 military objects during the night, it said, and the artillery fired more than 500 targets in total.

At least 600 enemy soldiers were killed.

This information could not be checked independently.

Neither does this information from the Ukrainian military intelligence service: Russia is said to be planning a military parade in Mariupol on the anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany on May 9.

This is reported by the AFP news agency, citing military intelligence.

The strategically important port city in southern Ukraine is heavily contested.

Sergey Kiriyenko, deputy head of the Moscow presidential administration, has already arrived in Mariupol.

On April 21, Russia announced that it had largely taken the city.

War in Ukraine: May 9 military parade in Mariupol?

Secret service sees "propaganda campaign"

According to Moscow's plans, Mariupol should become the center of the "celebrations" on May 9th.

The city's central streets are currently being "cleared of debris, bodies and unexploded ordnance."

Mariupol is largely under the control of Russian troops, only on the premises of the Azov steelworks are Ukrainian fighters still holding out, who, together with numerous civilians, are holed up in the tunnel system on the factory premises.

"A large-scale propaganda campaign is underway," Ukrainian military intelligence said.

"The Russians should be shown stories about the locals' 'joy' at meeting the occupiers."

Ukraine War News: Moscow to hold huge celebrations on May 9 - around 65,000 attendees

On May 9, Russia traditionally celebrates the victory over Nazi Germany with a military parade and a speech by Kremlin chief Putin on Red Square in Moscow.

"This year, military parades will be held in 28 Russian cities," said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

Almost 65,000 participants would be mobilized for this and a show of numerous weapon systems and hundreds of aircraft would be organized.

He did not comment on possible celebrations in Mariupol in the midst of the war in Ukraine.