"(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 deminer uses the remote system of a mine trawl to clear a field of landmines laid by Russian troops near the city of Balakliia, Kharkiv Oblast, on May 19, 2023. (Sergey Bobok/AFP via Getty Images)
Western partners are planning to allocate 700 million euros ($732 million) to Kyiv for the purchase of demining equipment by 2034, Ukraine's Defense Ministry said on Feb. 26.
Over 139,300 square kilometers (53,800 square miles) of Ukrainian land are potentially contaminated with explosives as a result of the full-scale war, with clearance efforts expected to take over a decade and cost $35 billion, according to the Economy Ministry.
The ministry's announcement came after the 11th meeting of the demining coalition for Ukraine, which involved 15 countries and was held in Vilnius.
The participants prioritized the procurement of equipment and weapons for 2025 with a budget of 130 million euros ($157 million). A total of 51 million euros ($53 million) has already been raised, said Ruslan Berehulia, the head of the mine action department.
Ukraine and Lithuania are also planning to set up working groups to study innovations, including the use of drones and artificial intelligence in mine action.
Ukraine remains the most mined country in the world. Despite ongoing hostilities, Ukraine has reduced the area considered as potentially hazardous by over 35,000 square kilometers (13,500 square miles).
Some 399 civilians have been killed, and 915 have been injured by mines since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, according to U.N. monitors.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Kateryna Denisova
