Russian air defence forces downed 14 Ukrainian drones on Wednesday, the city’s mayor said, as Kyiv targeted the Russian capital for the third consecutive day.

The drones forced most of the Russian capital’s airports to close hours before Chinese President Xi Jinping was due to fly in for a visit that Kyiv has made clear it opposes.

In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “The Kyiv regime continues to demonstrate its essence, its propensity for terrorist acts.”

Peskov said that Russia was doing everything it could to ensure the security of the commemorations, which world leaders, including the presidents of Brazil and China, are due to attend this week.

The centrepiece – a military parade on Moscow’s Red Square – is due to be held on Friday.

“All necessary measures are being taken by our intelligence services and our military to ensure that the celebration of the great victory is held in a calm, stable and peaceful environment,” he said.

Asked how Russia would respond to the attempted drone strikes, Peskov said that a Russian proposal for a three-day ceasefire with Ukraine around the celebrations was still in force.

The Kremlin has said it will abide by the ceasefire itself, but respond if Ukraine attacks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called the proposed ceasefire pointless, and instead offered an unconditional ceasefire over at least 30 days in line with a US proposal launched in March.

Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday that Russia had launched an intense drone and missile attack on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities overnight, killing a mother and her son in the capital.