Russia has severed mobile internet services for numerous customers across Moscow, just days before the annual May 9 parade commemorating victory over Nazi Germany.

The event itself has been significantly scaled back amid heightened concerns over potential drone attacks from Ukraine.

This move comes as part of a broader crackdown on internet access within Russia this year, which has seen mobile services blocked and millions forced to use VPNs.

Opponents of President Vladimir Putin suggest these measures are an attempt to bolster domestic control following four years of conflict.

The Kremlin has asserted that these restrictions are a necessary security precaution due to an elevated risk of Ukrainian drone incursions.

Six Reuters journalists in Moscow independently reported that mobile internet was unavailable on their devices in various parts of the capital on Tuesday.

However, they noted that telephone calls could still be made from many areas.

Russian mobile phone operators have acknowledged potential issues with mobile internet, citing the need to ensure security in the coming days.

Sberbank, the country’s largest bank, also issued a warning about possible disruptions to mobile internet and messaging services.

The taxi unit of Russia’s largest internet company, Yandex, said there could be problems with ordering taxis online due to limits on the internet.

Four years after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the two sides are engaged in the biggest drone war ever fought.

Their long-range drones are targeting everything from command points to energy infrastructure, far behind the “death zones” created by short-range drones along the front lines.

For the first time since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia’s annual Victory Day parade will proceed without its customary display of military equipment, the Defence Ministry has confirmed.

The ministry’s statement cited the “current operational situation” as the reason for excluding both a military equipment convoy and cadets from the parade, offering no further elaboration on the decision.

Despite the absence of ground vehicles, the parade is still scheduled to feature “servicemen from higher military educational institutions of all kinds and certain service branches of the Russian Armed Forces,” alongside a traditional military aircraft flyover, according to the ministry.