Mysterious Red Crosses Appearing on Moscow Streets: Ukrainian Media

Social media users and news outlets in Ukraine have reported on red crosses that they say have mysteriously appeared on some streets in Moscow and speculated as to what they might mean.

The markings on roads in the Russian capital spurred some theories that they could be targets for drone or missile attacks ahead of Tuesday's parade in Red Square marking Victory Day, which commemorates the Soviet role in the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945.

"In Moscow, people are going crazy because of the red crosses that have appeared around the city," wrote Ukrainian journalist Andrey Tsaplienko on his Telegram channel on Monday, suggesting the crosses may have been an attempt to troll Russians. "Apparently, they fear these may be markers for airstrikes on May 9."

Tsaplienko was just one social media user who shared images of the markings which appeared amid security concerns about the May 9 events.

Reports of the crosses came mostly from Ukrainian journalists or social media. The existence of the crosses has not been independently confirmed and the photos have not been independently verified. The Russian government or official media have not commented on the reports. Newsweek has contacted the Russian Defense Ministry for comment.

"May 9 is a sacred date for Russians and Kremlin criminal Vladimir Putin," reported Online.UA, a Russian-language Ukrainian media outlet, which noted how parades in cities across Russia had been canceled due to security concerns.

"Photos of red marks near the Ministry of Defense building," it added, "probably, such marks indicate places for strikes by missiles and UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)."

"Marks for missiles or UAVs allegedly appeared on the streets of Moscow," reported news outlet Trukha on its Telegram page. "They are clearly in a festive mood before May 9," it added next to a smiling emoji.

Others noted that at the start of the war, Ukrainian buildings and roads had been marked with crosses and circles by saboteurs to demarcate targets for Russian forces.

Last week, Moscow alleged that Kyiv, with the help of the U.S., was behind a drone attack on the Kremlin that it said was an assassination attempt on President Vladimir Putin. Kyiv has rejected the claim.

There have also been recent acts of apparent sabotage across Russia, such as in the southern region of Krasnodar where an oil refinery was reportedly targeted by drones last week.

Russian pro-war politician and writer Zakhar Prilepin, a Russian pro-war writer, was severely injured in a car bomb explosion on Saturday, while in April, Vladlen Tatarsky, a Russian military blogger, was killed in an explosion in a St. Petersburg cafe.

Tuesday's parade passed off without incident although it was much smaller than in previous years, with Russian forces suffering huge losses of personnel and equipment in Ukraine.

Putin has traditionally used Victory Day to promote patriotic unity and showcase the country's military might, but this year's event was a more low-key affair, with only a single tank on display and no fly past.

Putin gave a speech in which he conflated his invasion of Ukraine with the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany. He said the West intended to bring about "the collapse and destruction of our country."