The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce called for "concrete proposals from both sides" in order for Washington to "move forward" in peace negotiations.
"If they speak to each other in Russian, he doesn't know what they are saying," one Western official told NBC News. Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, called Witkoff's approach "a very bad idea."
Tougher sanctions "should be applied to (Russia's) banking and energy sectors, targeting fossil fuels, oil, and the shadow fleet," the leaders of Ukraine, the U.K., France, Germany, and Poland said in a joint statement.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
While serving as a bishop in Peru, Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, called the full-scale war "a true invasion, imperialist in nature, where Russia seeks to conquer territory for reasons of power."
Speaking to CNN on May 10, Peskov commented on the latest ceasefire proposal from Ukraine and Europe, responding that Russia needs to "think about" it, but is "resistant" to pressure.
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.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks to the media at a news conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York, United States, on April 25, 2023. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Nov. 19 that Moscow "will respond accordingly" to Washington's permission for Ukraine to strike Russian soil with U.S. weapons.
Speaking at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Lavrov referred to Russia’s updated nuclear doctrine, which permits nuclear retaliation for attacks by non-nuclear states supported by nuclear powers.
When asked during the summit if the U.S. had authorized Ukraine to use long-range weapons to target Russia, Lavrov responded, "I don’t know whether it’s true or not. We are focused on ensuring our security."
"We have already stated everything necessary to those considering this, officially. The president said it, and now it’s confirmed in an official document," he said, according to TASS.
On Nov. 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved an updated nuclear deterrence policy that expands the conditions for a nuclear strike.
The revised doctrine outlines scenarios that could justify a nuclear strike, suggesting that this could include "aggression against the Russian Federation and its allies by a non-nuclear state with the support of a nuclear state" and large-scale non-nuclear attacks.
The alleged use of U.S. ATACMS missiles by Ukraine to strike Russia’s Bryansk Oblast was reportedly the catalyst for Lavrov's remarks.
Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council known for his provocative and often extreme outbursts, also weighed in, threatening to use weapons of mass destruction against Ukraine and NATO.
According to the official, the updated doctrine could qualify Ukraine's use of NATO-supplied missiles in Russia as a trigger for "a mass retaliatory strike with weapons of mass destruction on Kyiv and main NATO facilities."
"This is already World War III," Medvedev wrote on his Telegram channel.
Russia has repeatedly set supposed "red lines" on Western assistance for Ukraine, sometimes accompanied by veiled or overt nuclear threats.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock dismissed the Kremlin's blackmail, calling them a tactic to exploit the West’s fears.
The Pentagon stated there are no indications of Russia preparing to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine despite its revised nuclear doctrine. Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh called Russia's rhetoric "irresponsible" and consistent with its behavior over the past two years.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
