Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on May 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky rebuked the idea of a demilitarized zone in the war and emphasized the importance of first securing a ceasefire.
"We agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We jointly demand this from Russia, and we know we are supported in this by the United States," Zelensky said.
Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
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."
The railroad station buillding in Mariinsk, Kemerovo Oblast, Russia, on June 1, 2016. (Michael G. Schroeder/Wikimedia Commons)
A fire broke out at a power substation near a railroad station in Russia's Kemerovo Oblast in Siberia, causing outages in the town of Mariinsk, local authorities reported on Aug. 19.
The outages also affected a section of the Krasnoyarsk railroad. According to Russian prosecutors, the preliminary investigation points to technical malfunction as a cause.
There is currently no indication that the incident in Mariinsk, which lies around 3,300 kilometers (2,050 miles) from Ukraine's border, was a result of an intentional sabotage.
Purported footage of a fire at a power substation near a railroad station in Russia's Kemerovo Oblast overnight on Aug. 19, 2024. (Astra/Telegram)
The fire was recorded at around 11 p.m. local time on Aug. 18. A fire train subsequently extinguished it, and the power supply was restored. The authorities said the fire caused a two-hour delay in traffic.
Alexander Krivtsov, the head of the Mariinsky district administration, said that power had been restored in all populated areas, but some wells remained disconnected, necessitating water deliveries to the population.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Martin Fornusek
