Russia has canceled a Victory Day military parade scheduled for Sevastopol, the largest city on the Crimean peninsula now under Moscow's control. Russian military vehicles take part in the Victory Day parade in Vladivostok, May 9, 2024. The British Telegraph newspaper reported on May 5 that this information was reported by the Russian Federation's state media on the same day.

According to Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev, the reason for the cancellation of the above event was due to safety reasons. The Telegraph added that the decision to cancel the Victory Day military parade scheduled to be held in Sevastopol came after a Ukrainian drone attack at sea, which allegedly destroyed a Russian Su-30 fighter jet near Novorossiysk on 2 May. The $50m (£37.6m) plane is believed to have crashed into the sea after the attack, with Ukrainian military intelligence describing it as the first time a combat aircraft had been shot down by a drone at sea.

Earlier on May 2, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a conversation with a small group of journalists, including AFP reporters, requesting that his statements be kept until May 3 before being published. In his speech, Mr. Zelensky said that a number of countries had approached Kiev, warning that they were going to the Russian Federation and asking for safety guarantees. AFP news agency quoted information from the Kremlin saying that leaders of about 20 countries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, have accepted invitations to attend the Victory Day celebrations organized by the Russian Federation.