"(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 Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2024 in Antalya, Turkey, on March 1, 2024. (Mert Gokhan Koc/ dia images via Getty Images)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed the idea of any changes to the management of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in an interview with CBS News on April 26.
"No, we never received such an offer and if we do, we will explain that the power station is run by the Russian Federation state corporation called Rosatom," Lavrov said. "If not for the Ukrainian regular attempts to attack the station and to create a nuclear disaster for Europe and for Ukraine as well, the safety requirements are fully implemented and it is in very good hands."
He also added that the plant is under permanent monitoring by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) personnel.
When asked whether this response took into account the reported proposal for U.S. management of the ZNPP, Lavrov responded, "No, I don't think any change is conceivable."
The U.S. has reportedly proposed that control over the ZNPP be returned to Ukraine before transferring its management to the U.S. to supply electricity to areas under both Ukrainian and Russian control.
The Zaporizhzhia plant's location, the city of Enerhodar in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on the east bank of the Dnipro River, remains under Russian occupation, and Ukraine has no access to the surrounding territory.
While the station remains under Russian control, it does not generate electricity. The facility has been repeatedly disconnected from Ukraine's power grid due to Russian attacks on the country's energy infrastructure.
Lavrov also justified recent Russian missile strikes on Kyiv, claiming they targeted military sites. "We will continue to target the sites used by the military of Ukraine, by some mercenaries from foreign countries and by instructors whom the Europeans officially sent," he said.
This comes just days after a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv took place on April 24, killing 12 people and injuring almost 90.
Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the fields of cybersecurity and translating, and she also edited for various journals in NYC.
Sonya has a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Houston, in Texas.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
