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."
Medical personnel (C) stand amid the rubble of the destroyed building of Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital following a Russian missile attack in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on July 8, 2024. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images)
Russian forces attacked the Okhmatdyt hospital on July 8 using a Kh-101 cruise missile in accordance with a programmed route, a law enforcement source told the Kyiv Independent.
The attack was deliberate, a source in on of Ukraine's top security agencies said.
The Russian military struck the Okhmatdyt hospital, Ukraine's largest children's medical center, on the morning of July 8, killing at least two people and injuring at least 16, including seven children, according to local authorities.
Fragments of the rear body of the Kh-101 cruise missile with a serial number and part of the missile's rudder were found at the scene, the State Security Service said earlier in the day.
The source confirmed that the strike was carried out with the Kh-101 cruise missile, referring to the obtained video footage from the moment of the attack.
The missile's appearance in the video matches the design of the Kh-101 cruise missile, the source said. This is indicated by two wings in the lower part of the missile and three control rudders.
"In front of the rudders in the lower part of the missile body, there is an engine," the source added.
"This is typical of the Kh-101 missile, in which the engine extends from the missile body after launching from an aircraft."
The missile was aimed exactly at the hospital, considering the route it followed in the video, the source said.
"It (the missile) was not damaged by air defense systems and hit exactly the target it was programmed to hit," the source added.
Russia launched a mass missile attack on Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine on the morning of July 8, killing at least 36 civilians and injuring 149 others, according to the State Emergency Service.
Ukrainian forces downed 30 out of the 38 missiles launched on Ukraine in the morning of July 8, according to the Air Force report.
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.
Daria Shulzhenko
