Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on May 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky rebuked the idea of a demilitarized zone in the war and emphasized the importance of first securing a ceasefire.
"We agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We jointly demand this from Russia, and we know we are supported in this by the United States," Zelensky said.
Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
"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."
The remains of a Shahed-136 kamikaze drone at an exhibition showing remains of missiles and drones that Russia used in the attack on Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukraine, on May 12, 2023. (Oleksii Samsonov / Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Ukrainian air defense shot down 35 of the 39 Shahed-type attack drones launched by Russia overnight on July 21, the Air Force reported.
In addition to drones, Russian forces launched three Iskander-M ballistic missiles and two Kh-59/69 cruise missiles. The Air Force said that the Kh-59/69 missiles didn't reach their targets due to Ukraine's "countermeasures." The military didn't specify where Iskander-M missiles hit and the extent of damage as a result.
Overall, air defense was working in 10 Ukrainian oblasts overnight. No casualties have been reported as a result of the attack as of publication time.
Russian forces regularly attack civilian areas across Ukraine using drones and missiles, often targeting residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure. Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy gridhave intensified in recent months, resulting in the destruction of or severe damage to multiple energy facilities and forcing Ukraine to impose lengthy rolling blackouts.
On the night of July 21, Russian forces launched missiles and drones from three locations, including Russia's Kursk Oblast, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, a town in Krasnodar Krai on the Azov Sea coast, and occupied Crimea, according to the Air Force.
All the drones targeting Kyiv were destroyed by the air defense outside the city, according to the Kyiv City Military Administration.
“Over the past two weeks, this is at least the fifth real attempt by the enemy to attack the capital with drones,” Serhii Popko, the head of the city’s military administration, wrote on social media.
At least one missile hit some critical infrastructure in Sumy Oblast this morning, Sumy Oblast Military Administration said. Rescue services were working at the site as of 7:30 a.m. No information about casualties was reported.
Two drones were also shot down over Sumy Oblast, which borders Russia's Kursk Oblast.
Drones were also downed over Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, and Mykolaiv oblasts, according to reports by local authorities.
Natalia Yermak is a staff writer for the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a fixer-producer and contributing reporter for the New York Times since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. Previously, she worked in film production and documentary.
Natalia Yermak
