“Ukraine has hit back with increasingly efficient long-range attacks, striking Russian energy facilities, manufacturing plants and military depots.”

“It has developed drones capable of reaching targets over 1,000 kilometers (more than 600 miles) deep into Russia”

“Russian authorities warned that if Ukraine attempts to disrupt Saturday’s festivities, Russia will carry out a “massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv”.”

“The Russian Defense Ministry warned the civilian population there and employees of foreign diplomatic missions of “the need to leave the city promptly.””

“The Soviet Union lost 27 million people in 1941-45 in what it calls the Great Patriotic War”

“Victory Day parades on Red Square have involved a broad array of heavy weapons – from armored vehicles to nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles – every year since 2008.”

“the authorities ordered restrictions on all mobile internet access and text messaging services in the Russian capital”

“Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Belarus’ authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko were set to attend the festivities”

“Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia... was to meet with Putin and lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorial... but planned to stay away from the Red Square parade.”