"We agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We jointly demand this from Russia, and we know we are supported in this by the United States," Zelensky said.
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.
A smoke rising over the Factory 100 machine repair plant in occupied Luhansk, Ukraine, on Aug. 4, 2024. (Governor Artem Lysohor/Telegram)
A purported Ukrainian strike against occupied Luhansk on Aug. 4 resulted in a fire in a factory used to repair and store Russian military equipment, said regional governor Artem Lysohor.
The Factory 100 suffered damage as a result of the "poor work of (Russian) air defenses," Lysohor said, publishing photos of smoke rising over the facility.
Russian occupation authorities claimed that 12 Western missiles – presumably eight U.S.-made ATACMS and four British Storm Shadow missiles – were used in the attack.
"Four missiles were shot down by air defenses on approach to the city," Leonid Pasechnik, the Russian-installed proxy head in the oblast, said on Telegram.
While the fallen debris only resulted in "dry grass catching fire," warehouses with fuel tanks and residential areas were also hit in the attack, Pasechnik alleged.
The full consequences of the reported attack are being determined.
The Kyiv Independent could not immediately verify the claims.
The Ukrainian military is yet to comment on the news, which emerged the same day Kyiv finally acknowledged receiving the first batch of F-16 fighter jets from its allies.
The announcement on the Western aircraft was preceded by a series of successful Ukrainian strikes against Russia's valuable military assets, including the Morozovsk airfield in Rostov Oblast and the submarine Rostov-on-Don in occupied Crimea.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
