"(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.
People gather in protest outside parliament on Nov. 29, 2024 in Tbilisi, Georgia. (Daro Sulakauri/Getty Images)
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced plans to introduce a law banning participants in rallies and counter-rallies from covering their faces, Georgia Today reported on Dec. 8.
The law is expected to be finalized next week and enforced by the end of December.
The latest wave of protests against the ruling Georgian Dream party broke out last week after Kobakhidze announced the suspension of the country’s EU accession process until at least 2028.
Kobakhidze claimed that officers experienced ‘physical and psychological violence,’ with over ten requiring surgery. However, nothing was mentioned about violence towards protestors by the police forces.
Police officers have used pepper spray, tear gas, and water cannons to disperse demonstrators. Dozens have been injured, and hundreds have been arrested.
Opposition leaders and journalists were among those assaulted and detained.
The Prime Minister praised the police as the “true Europeans” of the protests and expressed gratitude for their dedication.
Georgian Dream has been accused of democratic backsliding and dragging Georgia into the Kremlin's orbit. Earlier this year, the controversial "foreign agents" law prompted mass protests and violent crackdowns by police.
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.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn
