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.
"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.
Footage of an alleged fire at the Sudzha gas metering station in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, published on March 20, 2025. (Screenshot / ASTRA)
Ukraine on March 21 accused Russia of deliberately attacking the Sudzha gas metering station in Kursk Oblast in an attempt to pin the blame on Kyiv.
Russian media earlier claimed Ukrainian forces had struck the key gas transit facility, which plays a crucial role in Russian gas exports to Europe.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that Ukraine allegedly planned to blow up the station, accusing Kyiv of orchestrating a "provocation."
In a post on Facebook, the General Staff said the accusations were "baseless," and part of a "discrediting campaign against Ukraine."
"The mentioned station was repeatedly shelled by the Russians themselves," it added.
According to the Ukrainian military, Russia had previously struck the same station with guided aerial bombs, including an attack three days ago.
The General Staff also claimed that Russian forces had used the main gas pipeline near the facility to conceal troop movements.
"The Russians continue to produce numerous fakes and seek to mislead the international community. We ask you to trust only official sources, verify the information, and not succumb to manipulation," the statement added.
Earlier this month Ukraine released video of what it said were Russian sabotage and assault groups using a gas pipeline to gain a foothold on the outskirts of Sudzha in Russia's Kursk Oblast.
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The footage shared on March 8, 2025, purporting to show Ukrainian forces repelling a Russian attack in Russia's Kursk Oblast (Ukraine's Air Assault Forces/Telegram)
The latest incident comes as Ukraine confirmed its retreat from the town of Sudzha following a rapid Russian advance.
Kyiv initially launched a cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024 but has reportedly lost much of the territory in recent weeks.
The development followed a call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which Putin agreed to halt strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
On March 19, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had also agreed to stop strikes on Russian energy infrastructure in a phone call with Trump.
Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
