"(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.
The Russian Foreign Ministry building in Moscow. (Suphanat Wongsanuphat/Getty Images)
Russian air defense allegedly shot down three drones heading toward Moscow on May 6, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.
The news comes ahead of Russia's May 9 Victory Day celebrations, which mark the Soviet Union's role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II.
During the attack, temporary restrictions were imposed on air traffic over Moscow, as well as over the Russian cities of Kaluga, Tambov, Yaroslavl, and Nizhny Novgorod.
The independent Russian Telegram channel Astra published a video and photos allegedly taken after the drones were downed. The footage purportedly shows the wreckage of a drone.
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Moscow Oblast's residents shot a video of the purported wreckage of a drone shot down by the Russian Air Force as it was approaching Moscow on May 6, 2025. (Astra)
The Ukrainian government has not commented on the alleged drone attack. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify Russia's claims at the time of publication.
Overnight on May 6, Russia also reported intercepting 19 drones headed toward Moscow, marking the second consecutive night that drones reportedly targeted the Russian capital.
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
