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.
Yulia Navalnaya attends the 61st Munich Security Conference on Feb. 14, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Johannes Simon/Getty Images)
There is "no point trying to negotiate" with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Yulia Navalnaya, widow of the late Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, said at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 14.
As U.S. and Ukrainian officials gathered in Europe to discuss steps towards negotiating an end to Russia's war, Navalnaya warned against attempting to make agreements with Putin.
"Even if you decided to negotiate with Putin, just remember he will lie," she said.
"He will betray. He will change the rules at the last moment and force you to play his game."
Days before this year's Munich Security Conference began, U.S. President Donald Trump held separate calls with both Putinand President Volodymyr Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump called Putin first on Feb. 12, saying later that the two leaders agreed that negotiations to end the war in Ukraine will start "immediately."
Trump has repeatedly promised to strike a deal with Moscow that brings about a swift end to the war in Ukraine.
"There are only two possible outcomes for any deal with Putin," Navalnaya said.
"If he remains in power, he will find a way to break the agreement. If he loses power, the agreement will become meaningless."
Navalnaya, who has emerged as a prominent leader in the Russian opposition movement in the wake of her husband's death, spoke at a conference panel along exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
Tsikhanouskaya added that supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression would help other countries, including Belarus and Moldova.
"By helping Ukraine, you're helping the whole region," she said.
Alexei Navalny died on Feb. 16 in a penal colony in northern Russia, after being convicted in several fabricated criminal cases as part of the Kremlin's crackdown on dissent. Navalnaya has accused Putin of murdering her husband and vowed to continue his political work.
The Kremlin has denied any role in Navalny's death.
While Navalnaya is an outspoken critic of Putin's government, she has expressed ambivalence on military support for Ukraine, commenting in October 2024 that "it's difficult to say" whether Kyiv should receive weapons, because "the bombs are hitting Russians too."
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
