"(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.
The aftermath of a Russian attack on a Sumy suburb on May 6, 2025. (Sumy Oblast Military Administration)
Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Russian forces launched a missile attack against a suburb of Sumy on May 6, killing three and injuring 11 people, including three children, the local military administration reported.
According to the preliminary information, Russian troops used a ballistic missile, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration said. It was launched at around 5:30 p.m. local time, targeting civilian infrastructure.
A 20-year-old woman was killed at the scene of the attack. A six-year-old boy and a 41-year-old man died on the way to the hospital, according to the administration.
Most of the injured are children, according to the authorities.
Further details about the attack are being clarified.
Sumy Oblast is a northeastern region that borders Russia's Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk oblasts. Sumy Oblast residents often experience multiple attacks per day, with border areas suffering from artillery and glide bomb attacks, and the regional capital of Sumy coming under missile and drone strikes.
Most recently, Russia has been deploying small assault groups to infiltrate the region in a bid to expand the front line.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Francis Farrell
