"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."
"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.
A man stands near goods decorated with Örnek, the traditional ornament of Ukraine’s Crimean Tatar minority. The ornament was added to UNESCO’s intangible heritage list on Dec. 16, 2021. (ich.unesco.org)
UNESCO added Örnek, the traditional ornament of Ukraine’s Crimean Tatar minority and its lore to the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, on Dec. 16.
“This is a clear victory for Ukraine. After all, it clearly shows that the culture of Crimea is extraordinary and needs to be protected,” said Ukraine’s Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko.
He thanked his predecessor Yevhen Nyshchuk for kickstarting this advocacy initiative and the ministry’s current team for getting it done.
Örnek is a collection of ornamental patterns of the Crimean Tatars, a Ukrainian ethnic minority native to Crimea. The ornament has been used to decorate various household objects, including clothes, fabrics, jewelry, furniture, architectural objects and tombstones. It is currently used in embroidery, pottery, engraving, jewelry, weaving, wood carving, wall painting and more.
The ornament is an important element of self-identification for the Crimean Tatar nation and an integral part of the life of every Crimean Tatar family, according to the ministry. Örnek is also a means of transmitting cultural and historical knowledge from generation to generation.
Common symbols narrated through Örnek are plants and trees, which symbolize people of different genders and generations, UNESCO says.
A woman does embroidery using Örnek, the traditional ornament of Ukraine’s Crimean Tatar minority, which was added by UNESCO to its intangible heritage list on Dec. 16, 2021. (ich.unesco.org)
Each symbol is rich in meaning.
A rose, for example, symbolizes a married woman. A tulip stands for a young man, while a carnation portrays an older person, as well as wisdom and life experience.
Örnek is the fourth Ukrainian item on UNESCO’s intangible heritage list, along with Cossack songs, Petrykivka decorative painting and Kosiv painted ceramics.
Back in 2008, Ukraine ratified the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which UNESCO adopted in 2003.
The Convention asserts that “intangible cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation, is constantly recreated by communities… and provides them with a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity”.
It also requires each state party to take all the necessary measures to safeguard such heritage on its territory.
Anastasiia Lapatina is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the same role at the Kyiv Post and has focused on politics and human rights in conflict zones and issues in Russia-occupied Crimea. She holds a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia in Canada.
