"(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.
The United States embassy in Kyiv on May 9 issued a warning that Russia could launch "a potentially significant" attack in the coming days, despite Putin's self-declared Victory Day "truce."
The sanctioned oil tankers have transported over $24 billion in cargo since 2024, according to Downing Street. The U.K. has now sanctioned more shadow fleet vessels than any other country.
Washington and its partners are considering additional sanctions if the parties do not observe a ceasefire, with political and technical negotiations between Europe and the U.S. intensifying since last week, Reuters' source said.
A Ukrainian mechanic driving an American Stryker armored vehicle looks at the camera on Aug. 14, 2024, near the Russian border in Sumy Oblast, Ukraine. (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)
Russia reduced the use of aviation during its so-called Easter ceasefire but nevertheless continued its attacks since the very "first hours," Andrii Demchenko, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, said on air on national television on April 21.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced a unilateral ceasefire beginning at 6 p.m. local time on April 19 and lasting until midnight April 21, calling it a test of Ukraine’s willingness to pursue peace. Ukrainian troops reported that they had seen no signs of the truce being honored.
"There was no ceasefire from the Russian side. It's more of an imitation that Russia wants some kind of truce," Demchenko said. "The attacks actually took place from the first hours of the day — from the moment the ceasefire was supposed to be in effect."
Russian forces used artillery, multiple launch rocket systems, and drones to target Ukrainian positions in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, the spokesperson said. In some sectors, Russian forces also reportedly attempted direct assaults on positions held by State Border Guard troops.
"Either (Russian President Vladimir) Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favorable PR coverage," Zelensky said.
Anna Fratsyvir is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent, with a background in broadcast journalism and international affairs. Previously, she worked as a TV journalist at Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne, covering global politics and international developments. Anna holds a Bachelor's degree in International Communications from Taras Shevchenko National University and is currently an MA candidate in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Anna Fratsyvir
