"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
A notice about the airspace closure was published on the U.S. Defense Department's NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) website on May 10, as cited by Ukrainian defense news outlet Militarnyi.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected the idea of a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, claiming in an interview with ABC News on May 10 that it would be "an advantage" for Ukraine.
"Our involvement in the war was justifiable, and this belongs to our sovereign rights," North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un said. "I regard this as part of the sacred mission we must execute for our brothers and comrades-in-arms."
"We have a plan B and a plan C. But our focus is plan A, the essence of which is to get everyone's support" for Ukraine's accession, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.
"(T)he presence at the Victory Parade of a country that bombs cities, hospitals, and daycares, and which has caused the deaths and injuries of over a million people over three years, is a shame," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
"According to the participants of the performances, their goal is to remind the civilized world of the barbaric actions of Moscow, which for many years and decades has systematically violated international law," a source in Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) told the Kyiv Independent.
"I have great hope that an agreement for a ceasefire in Ukraine will be reached this weekend," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on May 9, shortly before traveling to Kyiv alongside the leaders of France, Poland, and the U.K.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will arrive in Kyiv early on May 10.
A screenshot of footage shared by Ukraine's Special Operation Forces that purports to show an engagement with Russian troops. Video released on Feb. 17, 2025 (Special Operations Forces).
Soldiers of Ukraine's 3rd Separate Special Forces Regiment on Feb. 17 released footage of what they claim was a successful operation to clear an industrial enterprise behind Russian lines.
In a post accompanying the video, the unit said a concentration of enemy troops was spotted by reconnaissance drones in an unidentified area of the front line.
Ukrainian troops reportedly held their positions for two days amid "intense fighting," during which 23 Russian soldiers were killed, with Kyiv's troops eventually withdrawing without suffering any losses.
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Footage shared by Ukraine's Special Operation Forces that purports to show an engagement with Russian troops. Video released on Feb. 17, 2025. Contains graphic and violent content. (Special Operations Forces).
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
Ukraine's Special Operations Forces are active on various fronts. Last month its 8th Regiment published a video of a large assault group of purportedly North Korean soldiers in Russia's Kursk Oblast crossing an open field and forest, followed by close combat footage with only dozens of meters between the two sides.
In the end, graphic footage shows killed soldiers claimed to be North Koreans.
"At the ninth hour of the battle, the Special Operations Forces had only a third of their ammunition left. They spent the rest on destroying (North Korean forces)," the Telegram post read.
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Footage shared by Ukraine's Special Operation Forces that purports to show an engagement with North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Video released on Jan. 22, 2025. Contains graphic and violent content. (Special Operations Forces).
Elsewhere, over 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed on the battlefield since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with NBC published on Feb. 16.
Zelensky previously revealed the total casualty count on Feb. 4, claiming that Ukraine had lost over 45,000 soldiers.
Nearly 380,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been injured since the start of the all-out war, Zelensky told NBC. "Ten of thousands" of Ukrainian troops are currently missing in action or being held in Russian captivity, according to the president.
According to Ukraine's General Staff estimates, Russia has lost a total of 859,920 troops since the start of the war. The figures do not specify killed or wounded, though the overall consensus is that it includes dead, wounded, missing, and captured.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Natalia Yermak
