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.
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.
The German-Swedish air-to-ground cruise missile Taurus presented in a showroom at the European defense company MBDA (Matra BAe Dynamics Aerospatiale). (Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty Images)
The supply of long-range German Taurus missiles to Ukraine will lead to an "inevitable escalation," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on April 14, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.
Peskov's statement comes as Friedrich Merz, Germany's chancellor-in-waiting, suggested on April 13 that long-range Taurus missiles could be used to target strategic Russian military infrastructure.
Merz added the Taurus missiles may be shipped to Ukraine if European partners support this move.
Peskov criticized Merz's stance, saying his decisions would lead to the deterioration of the situation in Ukraine.
"According to Mr. Merz's statements, he is an advocate of strengthening the position and a supporter of various steps that can and will inevitably lead only to further escalation of the situation around Ukraine," Peskov said.
"Unfortunately, it is true that European capitals are not inclined to look for any way out of peace talks but rather are inclined to further provoke the continuation of the war," the spokesperson added.
Peskov's comments come a day after Russia's attack on the city center of Sumy killed 35 people. The attack occurred on Palm Sunday and was one of the deadliest attacks on the city.
Russia used cluster munitions in the attack, outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink said on April 13.
While outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly blocked the delivery of Taurus missiles due to concerns about escalation, Merz has long criticized that stance.
With Merz poised to take office following his Christian Democrats' election win, the decision to supply Taurus missiles could soon return to the political agenda. It remains uncertain whether his future coalition partners from the Social Democrats will back the move.
Ukraine has already received U.S.-supplied ATACMS as well as SCALP/Storm Shadow cruise missiles from France and the U.K. Both Washington and London have permitted Kyiv to use these systems to strike targets within Russian-occupied territory, including Crimea.
The previous Biden administration and the U.K. also allowed strikes with long-range missiles against military targets on Russian soil in late 2024, namely in the Russian border regions of Kursk and Bryansk. Incumbent U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized the move.
Natalia Yermak
