"(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.
Oleksandr Rudynskyi, Franz Bohm, Hayder Rothschild Hoozeer, cast and crew accept the British Short Film Award for 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' on stage during the EE BAFTA Film Awards 2025 at The Royal Festival Hall on Feb. 16, 2025 in London, England. (Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA)
The film "Rock, Paper, Scissors" won the Best British Short Film award at the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) on Feb. 16.
The film was directed by Franz Bohm, a 26-year-old British man of German descent. It stars Ukrainian actors Oleksandr Rudynskyi, Serhii Kalantai, Yurii Radionov, and Oleksandr Yatsenko.
The plot is based on real events that happened during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The main character is an 18-year-old boy named Ivan, whose father has been working as a surgeon in the shelter since the first days of the Russian invasion. However, information about the shelter reaches the Russian troops. To protect his family and the wounded, Ivan joins the army and goes to the battlefield.
When Rudynskyi, who played the main character, received the award, he said he was dedicating it to Yevhen Svitlychnyi, a 29-year-old Ukrainian actor and a soldier who died in the Kharkiv sector of the front line on July 19, 2023.
"I dedicate this award to my friend Zhenya (Yevhen) Svitlychnyi, who died in the war five days before the start of filming. And to all those who defend my country and make it independent. Many thanks to BAFTA, and glory to Ukraine!" Rudynskyi said on the stage during the award ceremony.
The world premiere of the film took place in 2024 at the Show Me Shorts Film Festival.
In 2024, another film about the war in Ukraine, the Ukrainian documentary "20 Days in Mariupol," won an award for best documentary at the British Academy Film Awards.
The film was directed by Ukrainian journalist Mstyslav Chernov, who reached Mariupol with two Associated Press colleagues the day the full-scale invasion was launched and remained in the city for 20 days under heavy bombardment.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Kate Tsurkan
