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."
"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.
Russian servicemen, involved in the country's military action in Ukraine, march on Red Square during the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow, Russia on May 9, 2024. (Natalia Kolesnikova / AFP via Getty Images)
The Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug has become the first Russian region to reduce enlistment payments for soldiers fighting in Ukraine, the Moscow Times reported on April 15, citing local officials.
Throughout the three years of Russia's full-scale invasion, regional authorities in Russia have significantly increased recruitment bonuses to encourage new troops to join the military amid heavy losses on the battlefield in Ukraine.
In Yamalo-Nenets, payments have now reverted to earlier levels. Instead of the previously offered 3.1 million rubles (about $37,700), new recruits will receive 1.9 million rubles (roughly $23,100). The higher payment had been in effect from Jan. 20 through April 15.
The highest bonus in Russia is still offered in Samara Oblast, where officers and those renewing contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry can receive 3.6 million rubles ($43,800).
At the start of 2025, six regions — including Chuvashia, Mari El, Bashkortostan, Smolensk and Kaluga oblasts, and Primorsky Krai — increased their payments. Kaluga Oblast saw the steepest jump, from 800,000 to 2 million rubles (about $9,700 to $24,300).
As of late March, the Russian government was spending about 2 billion rubles ($24.3 million) per day on enlistment bonuses, according to the Russian Finance Ministry. Roughly three-quarters of that — 1.5 billion rubles ($18.2 million) — is paid by regional governments, which are spending nearly 3% of their budgets on recruitment efforts. The remaining 500 million rubles ($6 million) comes from the federal government.
Earlier, President Vladimir Putin approved a reduction in compensation for soldiers wounded in the war against Ukraine.
In October, Russian forces suffered their deadliest month since the invasion began. British defense intelligence reported that Russian casualties in Ukraine totaled 41,980 killed or wounded that month, according to U.K. Defense Minister John Healey.
Despite record losses, Russian troops have been making increasingly rapid gains along 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.
Asami Terajima
