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."
Photo for illustrative purposes. A picture taken in Yuzhnoukrainsk on September 20, 2022 shows Yuzhnoukrainsk nuclear plant, amid Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images) // UEW
Ukraine's state nuclear energy agency Energoatom on Sept. 28 confirmed that one of its officials had been detained for accepting a bribe.
The official, who leads the control and audit department, was apprehended near Energoatom's office in Kyiv while accepting a bribe of UAH 100,000 ($2,400). The money was demanded in exchange for resolving fuel supply issues.
According to a statement from Energoatom, "The detainee used his connections to help resolve the issue with another company, acting as a middleman between the contractor and the other firm." Ukraine's Security Service's (SBU) Main Directorate in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast, with oversight from the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office, conducted the operation.
"A top priority for Energoatom is ensuring compliance with current laws, and the company has a strict zero-tolerance policy for corruption," the statement reads. "This policy applies not only to internal matters but also to employees' conduct outside of their official duties."
Energoatom plays a crucial role in Ukraine's energy sector and is actively involved in modernizing and expanding the country's nuclear power capabilities, despite challenges posed by the ongoing war.
Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.
Kateryna Hodunova
