This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
Illustrative purposes only: The Ryazan Oil Refinery in Ryazan, Russia. (Wikipedia)
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
A fire erupted at the Ryazan Oil Refinery in Russia after a mass drone attack targeting several regions, Russian Telegram channels reported on Jan. 23.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, air defense systems also intercepted 49 drones across Kursk, Bryansk, Belgorod oblasts, as well as occupied Crimea.
Social media reports noted drone activity in Ryazan Oblast, located southeast of Moscow, where explosions were heard at the RNPK oil depot.
At least 10 drones were reportedly shot down over the facility, and a fire broke out.
The Kyiv Independent cannot immediately verify the reports.
The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council, Andrey Kovalenko, said that the Ryazan Oil Refinery is one of the key facilities in the Russian oil industry, though it is under sanctions.
“The refinery plays an important role in providing fuel for both the civilian and military-industrial complex of Russia,” he said on Telegram.
“It produces fuel for military equipment, aviation kerosene, diesel fuel and other types of petroleum products used in tanks, aircraft, ships and other equipment of the Russian Armed Forces.”
The attack comes amid an uptick in Ukraine’s drone operations targeting Russian energy infrastructure. Ukraine has targeted Russia's fossil fuel infrastructure as part of its strategy to undermine a key funding source for Russia's war effort.
Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the fields of cybersecurity and translating, and she also edited for various journals in NYC.
Sonya has a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Houston, in Texas.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
