Among the dozens of intelligence and operational details revealed in the Pentagon leak a few weeks ago was a bold plan by Kyiv: to attack Moscow (and another Russian port city) on the one-year anniversary of the invasion, on February 24.
The Washington Post, which discovered the plan among the documents, reported that the U.S. government managed to persuade Ukraine's chief intelligence office to "postpone the strikes" for fear of escalation. Ukraine did not attack Moscow at the time, but the drones that landed on the Kremlin a few days ago show that there is a chance that Ukraine did promise to postpone, not cancel.
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The explosion of the drones in the "holy of holies" of the Russian regime in particular, certainly against the background of their increasing penetration into Russian airspace, gave rise to a variety of conspiracy theories that the attack on the Kremlin was an internal Russian operation designed to present Kiev to the West as an irresponsible partner that only seeks to escalate the situation, but it is hard to believe that the Kremlin would bet on such a painful blow to prestige – the landing of a hostile aircraft in the heart of the superpower – in order to try to crack the firm support so far of Western democracies.
Passersby watch the preparations in Red Square, Photo: AP
However, the failure of the drones, which were not intercepted until they reached central Moscow, just days before May 9, and the Kremlin's claim that they were intended to assassinate Putin, have raised fears in Russia of a reconstruction — as well as questions about whether President Putin will address parade attendees in Red Square this year. So significant were the questions that the Kremlin spokesman had to clarify today that Putin would indeed speak at the ceremony. However, it was not disclosed whether he would be physically present.
But even if Putin does come to the square, the very fact that such a discussion is taking place at all is a huge blow to Moscow's prestige – especially in light of the fact that the victory in 1945 over Hitler was and still is one of the cornerstones of Putinism, and served as a screen and a permit for current injustices. Suffice it to recall that the war in Ukraine was also banned by Russia in order to eradicate the Nazis it imagined in power in Kiev, or the widespread use of Soviet symbols in the invasion setting.
Navy cadets holding a replica of the miracle of Soviet victory in 1945, this week near St. Petersburg, photo: AP
Meanwhile, in Ukraine itself, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a far-reaching change: starting next year, subject to parliamentary approval, Victory Day over Nazi Germany will be brought forward to May 8, while May 9, which has been celebrated until now, will be Europe Day. This is yet another step by official Kyiv from Soviet-Russian heritage towards participation in the Western memory community.
Ukrainian soldiers lay wreaths near the victory over the Nazis in Kharkiv, on Monday, Photo: AFP
Brief background: The victory over the Third Reich is celebrated in most of the Western world on 8 May, but by the time the treaty was signed in 1945, it was already past midnight in Moscow. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine continued to follow the Soviet calendar, marking Victory Day on 9 May.
Residents in Lviv decorate the memorial tree with paper poppy flowers, photo: AFP
The first crack opened in 2015, when then-President Petro Poroshenko declared May 8 to be National Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, a day that would reflect the unification of Ukrainians in different parts of the country in the face of Moscow's attempt to divide and divide Ukraine. Zelenskyy's move now changes symbolic world orders and moves the dials back: Ukraine will mark the victory over the Nazis Central European time. It is quite possible that one day, despite the geographical distance, Kiev will decide to switch to Central European Time (which is an hour ahead of Moscow).
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