"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.
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.
Russian soldiers take part in a parade for Victory Day in Moscow's Red Square in Moscow, Russia, on May 9, 2023. (Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The Russian government has approved new measures to streamline the conscription process, making it easier to draft young men into the Armed Forces, including those who previously evaded service, The Moscow Times reported on Jan. 27.
The reforms, according to Deputy Defense Minister Andrey Kartapolov, aim to "qualitatively improve the level of organization of conscription."
Under the new legislation, draft board decisions for individuals deemed fit for service will remain valid for one year. This allows military commissions to send individuals to the army in subsequent drafts without requiring additional medical examinations or decisions.
For instance, if a person was found fit but did not enter service due to illness or other reasons, they can be drafted directly during the next conscription campaign.
In Russia, conscription campaigns are held twice a year, in spring and fall, targeting men aged 18 to 27. These campaigns form the core of Russia's conscription-based military system, drafting hundreds of thousands annually.
The bill also consolidates the organization of draft commissions, mandating only one commission in cities of federal significance or two in larger municipalities.
These changes follow Russia's recent conscription campaigns, during which record numbers were drafted. In the fall 2024 draft, 133,000 individuals were conscripted, and 150,000 were recruited during the spring campaign, a record for the past eight years. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees specifying the number of recruits required during each period.
The push to expand military manpower comes as Russia faces severe losses in its war against Ukraine. The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Jan. 27 that Russia has lost 831,620 troops since launching its full-scale invasion.
While Russian conscripts rarely take part in active combat, Russia has been actively recruiting civilians to take part in the country's war against Ukraine by offering financial incentives, pardoning crimes, or simply taking people from the streets.
Yet, after the highly unpopular September 2022 mobilization led to over 261,000 Russians fleeing the country, Putin has avoided a second wave of mobilization, opting for alternative methods to bolster troop numbers.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
