Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
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.
Illustrative purposes only: The V750 VU surface-to-air missile rocket launcher displayed at the museum on Aug. 27, 2020. The Zánka Military Museum is an outdoor display containing a variety of armory used by the Hungarian defense forces. Zánka is a village in Veszprém County situated on the shores of Lake Balaton, 150 km southwest of the capital, Budapest, Hungary. (Paul Lakatos/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Hungary is deploying air defense systems near the Ukrainian border, citing increased risks after the West allowed the use of long-range weapons inside Russian territory, Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky said on Nov. 20.
The minister ordered the deployment of air defense systems in the country's northeastern regions, saying that "the war has entered its most dangerous phase."
Szalay-Bobrovniczky attributed this escalation namely to the easing of restrictions on Ukrainian strikes with Western arms and linked it to Russian President Vladimir Putin's approval of an updated nuclear doctrine.
This decision comes after two Russian missiles were shot down on Nov. 17 in Zakarpattia Oblast, Ukraine's westernmost region bordering Hungary and home to an estimated 75,000 ethnic Hungarians.
On that occasion, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that it was necessary to "strengthen efforts to bring peace" as "each day brings with it the risk of escalating war."
Budapest has consistently criticized and obstructed Western military support for Ukraine, claiming it would lead to an escalation, and has maintained warm ties with Moscow throughout the full-scale war.
Previously, Russian drones and missiles launched during strikes on Ukraine have crossed into the airspace of other countries, namely Poland, Latvia, Romania, Moldova, and Belarus.
The latest development in Hungary follows a series of increasingly strong resolutions by Ukraine's Western allies.
After U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged that the Biden administration would bolster support for Kyiv before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, President Joe Biden on Nov. 17 allowed Ukraine to use ATACMS missiles to strike deep inside Russian territory.
Ukraine reportedly used ATACMS missiles to strike a Russian military arsenal in Bryansk Oblast on Nov. 19 and allegedly also used U.K.-supplied Storm Shadow on Nov. 20, marking the first instance of these weapons being used on Russian soil.
Other Western allies have expressed their position on their own supplied weapons.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Nov. 18 that Paris "remained open" to allowing Ukraine to use French long-range missiles to strike military targets inside Russia, reported Le Monde.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that she "understands" the U.S. response to Russia, but Rome makes a "different choice" and focuses on air defenses for Ukraine.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Abbey Fenbert
