A “Ukrainian” drone has been found outside Moscow, an official said on Monday, adding this had led local authorities to call off a Victory Day parade for security reasons.
Moscow has accused Ukraine of being behind a number of drone attacks on military infrastructure deep inside Russian territory.
On Monday, Igor Sukhin, head of the Bogorodsky city district outside the capital Moscow, said that a local resident had found a “Ukrainian” drone in a forest.
“This is not the first drone that appeared in the Moscow region,” Sukhin said on the messaging app Telegram.
A similar drone was in February found in the town of Kolomna around 100 kilometers (about 60 miles) southeast of Moscow, he added.
Sukhin said a planned Victory Day parade on May 9 had been cancelled in his community, as well as a concert linked to the festivities.
“Everyone understands that security issues have always come and will always come first,” he added.
Earlier authorities in several border regions including Belgorod said they would also forego Victory Day parades.
Russian authorities are however preparing to hold the annual display of military might in Moscow’s Red Square to celebrate Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.
“It will be a very important event,” he said.
Separately, authorities said Monday that Russian forces had “repelled” a drone attack on the port of Sevastopol in Moscow-annexed Crimea.