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.
"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.
Debris of a Shahed 136 kamikaze drone launched by Russia on view at an exhibition in Kyiv on May 12, 2023. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Oleksii Samsonov /Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
An Indian-made component was identified in a Russian weapon system for the first time, while nearly all American-made parts have been phased out, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported on April 7.
"For the first time, a component made in India — a clock buffer from Aura Semiconductor — was found in a Russian weapon," HUR said in a Telegram post.
The discovery came as HUR documented nearly 200 newly identified parts across six types of Russian weaponry.
These include the CRP antenna from the Russian-modified Shahed drone, North Korea's KN-24 ballistic missile, the onboard computer in the X-47 Kinzhal missile, and several reconnaissance and attack drones — including the Supercam S350, Gerbera, and Zala.
The Iranian-designed Shahed-136 drone, known as Geran-2 when produced in Russia, has been widely deployed by Moscow for loitering kamikaze missions targeting Ukrainian cities, energy infrastructure, and frontline positions.
According to HUR, only two American chips remain in the latest CRP antenna design of the Geran-2, illustrating Russia's shift toward components from countries not enforcing sanctions.
In previous drone variants, antennas labeled in Chinese featured 13 out of 15 components made by Chinese firms, including key signal-processing chips from the Beijing Microelectronics Technology Institute.
For years, Russia has served as India's top arms supplier. However, the imposition of international sanctions has forced India to diversify its defense procurement and deepen its ties with Western arms producers.
While India has publicly urged a diplomatic resolution to Russia's war in Ukraine, it has also continued expanding trade with Moscow.
Russia's strongest economic and military partner remains China, with both countries conducting joint drills alongside allies like Belarus and Iran. Beijing has also emerged as one of Russia's leading sources of dual-use goods that feed the Russian defense industry.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
