"(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.
Young soldiers of the "Da Vinci Wolves" battalion who recently joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine pose in ammunition during orientation training as Ukrainian soldiers undergo training before being sent to the front in Ukraine on April 8, 2024. (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)
Ukraine's military has received over 10,000 applications from volunteer recruits aged 18 to 24 following the introduction of lucrative "special contracts," Defense Ministry Spokesperson Dmytro Lazutkin said on Ukrainian TV on Feb. 17.
The contracts, aimed at recruiting additional military personnel who are not subject to mobilization, provide a number of benefits, including a Hr 1 million ($24,000) annual salary, 0% interest mortgage rates, and free higher education.
Ukraine's Defense Ministry also said those who complete one year of service would be allowed to travel abroad. Currently, with a few exemptions, all men aged 18-60 are prohibited from travelling overseas while martial law is in place.
U.S. lawmakers and NATO allies have continuously urged Ukraine to lower its draft age from 25 to 18 to address manpower shortages. Currently, Ukrainian men aged 25 to 60 are subject to conscription.
U.S. President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor Michael Waltz said in January that Ukraine "could generate hundreds of thousands of new soldiers" if it lowered its conscription age to 18.
Kyiv has long opposedU.S. pressure to lower the draft age, with President Volodymyr Zelensky arguing it would harm Ukraine's future prospects.
The introduction of "special contracts" appears to be an attempt by Kyiv to bridge the gap with a compromise solution — entice young people to sign up voluntarily, boosting the armed forces' manpower, while avoiding expanding forced mobilization. A one-year contract option would likely appeal to those interested in contributing to the war effort for a limited period.
The Ukrainian military faces a critical manpower shortage, struggling to replenish infantry gaps left by heavy losses in battle-hardened brigades.
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.
Andrea Januta
