Ukrainian drone strikes have heightened anxiety across Moscow ahead of this year’s May 9 parade on Red Square, where President Vladimir Putin will be watching with other leaders.

Russian air defence units destroyed a swarm of Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow in a second night attack in a row, prompting the closure of all airports in the capital for several hours, officials said early on Tuesday.

All four international airports around Moscow temporarily suspended flights Tuesday as Russian forces intercepted more than 100 Ukrainian drones fired at almost a dozen Russian regions, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said.

Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow for the second consecutive night temporarily halting flights at four airports, Russian officials said, as the city prepares to host a major military parade expected to be attended by world leaders including China’s Xi Jinping.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian air defence forces downed two Ukrainian drones flying towards Moscow, the city's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said on Wednesday.

Russian authorities say drone attacks by Ukraine have caused flight disruption at Moscow’s main airports for a third straight day.

Ukraine attacked Moscow with drones for a third day on Wednesday forcing most of the Russian capital's airports to close just as Chinese President Xi Jinping was due to arrive to mark the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two.

Nine people were killed in Russian drone attack less than a day after brief peace talks in Istanbul ended without a deal