Putin to give Victory Day speech as usual despite UAV attack: Kremlin

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
4 May 2023 19:08

The Kremlin says that Russian experts are investigating the details of the drone attack and how the UAVs managed to breach the territory.

Russian military vehicles roll during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Monday, May 9, 2022, marking the 77th anniversary of the end of World War II (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

The Tuesday night drone attack on the Kremlin has not changed the plans of Russian President Vladimir Putin who is scheduled to deliver a speech on May 9 during a military parade celebrating Victory Day, Kremlin spokesperson said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Kremlin said that Kiev attempted to strike the Kremlin residence of Putin on Tuesday night under Washington's orders -- a charge which both the US and Ukraine deny.

Putin was not injured as a result of the attack and carried out his schedule according to plans with no change.

"A regular parade is being prepared ... The president will deliver a speech, as is usually the case," Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

However, security will be tightened during the event in light of the earlier attempt on Putin's life, he added.

"Of course, everything will be strengthened. And everything has already been strengthened in the context of preparations for the parade. And the presidential residence is guarded in general," Peskov said, noting that investigations are being conducted to find how the drones breached Kremlin's territory.

Commenting on Russia's accusations of the US greenlighting the hit, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Wednesday that he would take any piece of information from Moscow with a "very large shaker of salt".

But when asked about Washington's position if Kiev chose to strike deep within Russian territories, Blinken considered that "These are decisions for Ukraine to make, about how it’s going to defend itself, about how it’s going to get its territory back, how it’s going to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

In December 2022, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that the US is not enabling nor encouraging Ukraine to strike beyond its borders and that American weapons provided to Kiev are only "defensive supplies".

However, later that same month, a report published by Politico, citing a sensitive acquired document belonging to the State Department, said that Biden's administration is running into major obstacles tracking the aid sent from Washington to Kiev.