Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on May 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky rebuked the idea of a demilitarized zone in the war and emphasized the importance of first securing a ceasefire.
"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."
Armin Papperger, CEO of the German weapons producer Rheinmetall, addresses a virtual press conference at the company's headquarters in Duesseldorf, Germany, on March 14, 2024. (Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty Images)
Sabotage acts in NATO countries in recent years have included threats to assassinate weapons industry leaders, particularly the German arms maker Rheinmetall's CEO Armin Papperger, NATO's Deputy Assistant Secretary-General James Appathurai said on Jan. 28.
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Russian hybrid operations aimed at destabilizing the situation in the countries that support Ukraine have intensified.
Speaking at the European Parliament, Appathurai confirmed the threats against Papperger, which had previously been circulating only in the media, Reuters reported.
In July 2024, U.S. and German intelligence discovered a Russian-linked plot to assassinate Papperger, according to CNN. Following the incident, Germany provided Papperger with the same top-level security as Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
In April 2024, supporters of the left-wing extremist RAF movement announced that they had burned down Papperger's garden house, accusing him of "profiting" from arms sales.
Appathurai also said that the West had sometimes succeeded in stopping Russia from committing acts of sabotage by setting red lines at the highest level. One example is when incendiary devices destined for DHL flights were detected in a German warehouse.
According to Appathurai, the sabotage campaign included "derailment of trains, acts of arson, attacks on politicians' property, threats to plot to assassinate industry leaders like, publicly, the head of Rheinmetall, but there were other plots as well."
Appathurai added that NATO characterizes the current level of sabotage as a "record high."
NATO allies clearly understand that they "need to be more robust" in responding to recurring incidents, particularly in the Baltic Sea, he added.
NATO aims to agree on a strategy for tackling hybrid threats before the alliance's summit in The Hague at the end of June, according to Reuters.
Rheinmetall provides weapons and equipment to Ukraine under contracts with the German government, such as Leopard 1 tanks, mortar shells, and drone surveillance systems, among other weapons.
In late July, Rheinmetall announced that it had received an order from the Ukrainian government to begin the construction of an ammunition factory in Ukraine. The company previously said it planned to open at least four factories in the country.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Asami Terajima
