Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that if Ukraine carries out its criminal plans during the days of the Great Victory celebrations, the Russian Armed Forces will launch a retaliatory strike, including against decision-making centers. This was reported by the press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

According to Zakharova, the Foreign Ministry sent a note to all accredited foreign diplomatic missions and representative offices of international organizations over threats by the Ukrainian side to attack Moscow on May 9.

She said the Russian Foreign Ministry strongly urges the authorities of foreign states and the leadership of international organizations to treat the Russian Ministry of Defense’s warning about a retaliatory strike in the event of such an attack with the utmost responsibility.

Zakharova stressed that foreign missions must arrange in advance for the evacuation of staff from diplomatic and other representative offices in Kiev, as well as their citizens. According to her, this is due to the inevitability of a retaliatory strike by the Russian military on the Ukrainian capital, including decision-making centers, if the Kiev regime carries out its criminal terrorist plans during the days of the Great Victory celebrations.

On May 6, adviser to the Ukrainian defense minister Sergey Sternenko hinted that Kiev might not observe the May 9 ceasefire.

On May 4, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that, by decision of President Vladimir Putin, Russia had declared a ceasefire on May 8 and 9 in honor of the 81st anniversary of the victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War. The ministry said it expected similar actions from Ukraine.

At the same time, the Russian Ministry of Defense drew attention to Vladimir Zelensky’s statement made in Yerevan at the European Political Community summit. It contained threats to strike Moscow on May 9. The Russian military department warned that if the Ukrainian side attempts to disrupt the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, a retaliatory massive missile strike will be carried out on central Kiev.