"(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.
Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen during a NATO-Ukraine Council in Defense Ministers Session, at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 11, 2023. (Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP/Getty Images)
The Finnish government has proposed banning most Russian citizens from buying real estate in the country to ensure national security, Reuters reported Sept. 2, citing Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen.
Relations between Finland and Russia have deteriorated since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In response to the war, Finland joined NATO in April 2023, extending the NATO-Russian border by roughly 1,340 kilometers (830 miles).
The proposed ban would not apply to dual nationals or Russians permanently residing in Finland or other European Union countries. The restrictions are subject to expert consultation before a parliamentary vote.
"The regulations are aimed at preventing possible hostile influences against Finland," Hakkanen said.
Finland is tracking about 3,500 properties related to Russian owners, Hakkanen said, without providing further details.
Helsinki has been attempting to limit the acquisition of real estate by Russian citizens near strategic facilities, blocking three deals last October and three more in January 2024, according to Reuters.
In 2023, Finland closed all checkpoints on the border with Russia and accused Moscow of weaponizing migration by encouraging migrants from countries like Syria and Somalia to cross the border, an assertion the Kremlin denies.
Helsinki believes Moscow is promoting the crossings in retaliation for Finland joining NATO, which supports Ukraine against Russia's unprovoked war.
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.
Olena Goncharova
