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.
"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.
Commander Kucher (L) of the 21st Battalion, Separate Presidential Brigade, awards his soldiers medals on Ukraine Defender Day for their outstanding courage and service on the front line on Oct. 1, 2024 near Pokrovsk, Ukraine. (Pierre Crom/Getty Images)
According to the April 5 evening report by the General Staff, 152 military encounters were recorded since the start of the day.
“The most intense situation is in Pokrovsk, Lyman, Toretsk and Kursk directions,” the General Staff wrote.
Sixty-five clashes were reported near Pokrovsk alone.
According to Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Russia carried out 73 air strikes, dropping 106 guided bombs and using 844 kamikaze drones.
Besides clashes on the front lines, Russia has actively attacked Ukrainian civilian sites.
Russia attacked the city of Mykolaiv with Shahed-type drones, Governor Vitalii Kim said late on April 5.
A day prior, a Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih killed 19 people, including nine children, according to local authorities. Seventy-four were reportedly injured.
Zelensky said in his evening address “that Russia must be held accountable for everything it has done.”
The U.S. and Ukraine agreed to a full ceasefire on March 11 but Russia rejected it. Instead, Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. agreed on March 25 to a partial truce covering energy infrastructure and the Black Sea.
However, the Kremlin has blocked the partial ceasefire as well, saying that the Black Sea truce would take effect only after some sanctions against Russia are lifted.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Asami Terajima
