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."
"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.
Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), the Shahed-136, which are equipped with jet engines, are carried by a truck during a military parade commemorating the anniversary of the Iran-Iraq War (1980-88) outside the Khomeini Shrine in the south of Tehran, Iran, on September 21, 2024 (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Russia has significantly increased the production of Shahed-136 drones and cheaper decoy drones at the Yelabuga drone factory in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan, CNN reported on Dec. 27.
This facility, located over 1,300 kilometers from the Ukraine border, plays a critical role in Moscow’s drone manufacturing strategy.
In 2023, the factory produced 2,738 Shahed-136-type drones, given the name Geran in Russia, with output more than doubling to 5,760 units in the first nine months of 2024.
The facility also began serial production of "Gerbera" decoy drones, which mimic the radar signature of real Shaheds but are made from plywood and foam plastic.
Russia plans to produce 10,000 Gerberas by the end of 2024, twice the number of Geran drones. Each Gerbera reportedly costs 10 times less to produce than a Geran.
The production surge is facilitated by imports of components from China and the recruitment of low-skilled labor, including local teenagers and workers from Africa.
The Alabuga Start project actively recruits African workers for the program, according to the report. Despite official statements of neutrality, China allegedly supplies drone components and technology through a network of 34 companies.
Satellite imagery from March to September 2023 reportedly revealed a 55% increase in production space at the Alabuga site, along with enhanced facility security, including anti-drone cages and a fortified perimeter.
The Yelabuga plant, launched in July 2023, manufactures a range of drones, including Shahed-type drones and reconnaissance models like the Albatross. Russia regularly employs drones and missiles to target Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
The plant has faced disruptions, including from Ukrainian attacks. On Dec. 23, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported a fire at a Shahed warehouse in Alabuga, destroying $16 million worth of drone parts.
In April, in an effort to counter Russia's expanding drone production, Ukrainian long-range drones struck the Yelabuga facility.
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.
Chris York
