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"We now know for sure that the great fire of the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw was caused by arson ordered by the Russian special services," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X. "Some of the perpetrators have already been detained, all the others are identified and searched for."

This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.

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Ukraine downs 60 drones in Russian overnight attack

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Ukraine downs 60 drones in Russian overnight attack
Photo for illustrutive purposes: Air defense at work in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy Oblast in the evening of Jan. 17. (Sumy Oblast Military Administration/Telegram)

Russia launched an overnight drone attack across Ukraine early on May 11, injuring one person in Kyiv Oblast and damaging civilian infrastructure in several regions, according to Ukrainian officials.

The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.

Ukrainian air defense systems, including aviation units, missile forces, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire teams, intercepted 60 Shahed drones across the eastern, northern, southern, and central regions of the country. Another 41 decoy drones were lost from radar but did not cause damage.

In Kyiv Oblast, a 70-year-old man in Brovary District suffered an acute stress reaction during the attack and is receiving medical care, according to regional authorities. A summer house was damaged in the strike, and five private homes were hit in the Obukhiv District, which lies south of the capital, Kyiv. No critical infrastructure was affected.

In Sumy Oblast, Russian forces carried out more than 100 strikes on 31 settlements across 14 communities over the past day. The attacks included nearly 10 guided aerial bombs, 30 FPV drone assaults, approximately 30 grenade drops from drones, and over 70 multiple-launch rocket system explosions, regional officials reported. Additionally, Russian helicopters launched 10 rockets.

While there were no fatalities or injuries reported in Sumy, several civilian structures were damaged or destroyed, including non-residential buildings and private homes.

The attack comes as Russia invited Ukraine to engage in direct talks in Istanbul beginning May 15. Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a ceasefire proposal, saying, "Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions."

Putin unilaterally declared a temporary ceasefire in honor of Victory Day — which Russia observes on May 9 — from midnight May 8 until midnight on May 11. Despite the three-day truce, Russian attacks against Ukrainian civilians and combat operations on the front line continued.

President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders on May 10 demanded that Russia agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting on May 12. The proposal is backed by U.S. President Donald Trump. If Russia refuses the proposal, Europe and the U.S. are threatening to respond with increased sanctions.

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said earlier that Russia needs to "think about" the ceasefire proposal and is "resistant to any kinds of pressure."

Putin’s proposed talks ‘a first step, but not enough,’ Macron says
“An unconditional ceasefire is not preceded by negotiations,” French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters on May 11.
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Anna Fratsyvir

News Editor

Anna Fratsyvir is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent, with a background in broadcast journalism and international affairs. Previously, she worked as a TV journalist at Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne, covering global politics and international developments. Anna holds a Bachelor's degree in International Communications from Taras Shevchenko National University and is currently an MA candidate in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

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