"(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.
Firefighters attend to the scene of a fire burning at a critical infrastructure facility in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on March 8, 2025 following a Russian drone attack on the region. (Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration)
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
A large fire erupted at a critical infrastructure facility in Zaporizhzhia Oblast following a Russian drone attack, regional Governor Ivan Federov said on March 8.
As a result of the strike, gas supplies have been limited in the region, Federov added.
Russia has regularly launched missiles targeting various regions of the country. Russian forces have continuously targeted Ukraine's critical infrastructure as Russia continues to test Ukrainian resolve in the harsh winter months.
Amid the U.S. pause on sharing intelligence with Kyiv, the New York Times reported on March 5, citing undisclosed U.S. and Ukrainian officials, that the pause affects warnings against Russian drones and missiles striking Ukrainian military and civilian targets.
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A fire is shown burning at a critical infrastructure facility in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on March 8, 2025 following a Russian drone attack on the region. (Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration)
No information was immediately available on the full extent of the damage, or whether any casualties were sustained in the attack. No details were provided on the location of the facility.
Multiple explosions were heard between 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. local time, amid the reported threat of Russian drone attacks. Russian forces separately launched missiles towards eastern regions of the country on the evening of March 8.
The attack on Zaporizhzhia Oblast comes just one day after Russia launched a mass strike against various regions of Ukraine targeting energy and gas infrastructure across the country. In the attack, Russian missiles struck critical infrastructure in Ternopil, Poltava, and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts.
Zaporizhzhia Oblast, situated on Ukraine's front line, is the target of near daily Russian drone, missile, and glide bomb attacks.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Dmytro Basmat
