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.
A flock of starlings flies in front of a Ukrainian flag. (Oleksandr Nastachenko’s personal archive)
Eutelsat, the French satellite operator that owns Starlink rival OneWeb, is negotiating with European governments to expand satellite connectivity in Ukraine.
The company announced on March 4 that it is working with European institutions and business partners and has equipment ready for rapid deployment to support critical missions and infrastructure in Ukraine, according to Financial Times.
These discussions come as investors speculate that Eutelsat could step in if Ukraine loses access to Elon Musk’s Starlink system.
Concerns over Starlink’s availability escalated after the U.S. paused military aid to Ukraine on March 3. Ukraine has relied heavily on Starlink for battlefield communications, making it a crucial component of its military operations.
Last week, Reuters reported that U.S. officials had raised the possibility of restricting Ukraine’s access to the system. Musk, who owns Starlink and has influence over U.S. President Donald Trump, denied the claim, calling the report false.
Shares in Eutelsat surged as much as 123% to 4.50 euro before settling at a 70% gain, driven by investor confidence that European leaders will increase military support for Ukraine.
The European Commission on March 4 proposed a 150 billion euro loan package to help EU member states finance defense procurement, which could facilitate immediate military aid to Kyiv. A spokesperson for the Commission confirmed that alternatives to Starlink were under consideration.
Eutelsat’s proposal involves combining OneWeb’s low Earth orbit satellites, positioned around 1,200 kilometers above the surface, with its geostationary satellites at 35,000 kilometers. This dual-constellation approach could provide essential connectivity for Ukraine’s military, including drone operations that have dealt significant blows to Russian forces.
OneWeb already provides services to Ukraine through a German distributor, but expanding its role would require European governments to approve procurement and integration plans. Eutelsat acknowledged that the extent of its contribution depends on Ukraine’s military requirements, security protocols, and existing communication systems.
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.
Chris York
