"(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.
Ukrainian soldiers of the 1st Separate Assault Battalion Da Vinci take part shoot during a training exercise in the Dnipropetrovsk oblast, on Dec. 12, 2024. (Roman Pilipey / AFP via Getty Images)
Ukraine has stabilized the situation in the Pokrovsk direction of Donetsk Oblast, and in some areas seized the tactical initiative, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported on May 6.
Pokrovsk, located about 70 kilometers northwest of Donetsk, remains one of the most fiercely contested sectors of the front, where Russia has concentrated its main offensive efforts since March.
"The Pokrovsk direction is one of the most difficult sections of the front... However, thanks to the courage and skillful actions of the soldiers of the Defense Forces, we managed to stabilize the situation in this operational zone in the Donetsk region and in some places seize the tactical initiative," Syrskyi said in a post on social media.
Syrskyi highlighted the performance of the 425th separate assault regiment "Skala," describing it as a unit capable of effective active defense.
The regiment demonstrated its effectiveness earlier this year near the village of Shevchenko, approximately three kilometers southwest of Pokrovsk, and during the 2022 Kharkiv offensive, he said.
"Soldiers, sergeants, officers, you fulfill your tasks with honor. Ukraine believes in you, and you can always be relied on. Once again, I express my sincere gratitude to you," Syrskyi added.
The estimated Russian advance in the Pokrovsk sector in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, as of May 6, 2025, according to DeepState map. A black symbol marks Pokrovsk. (DeepState / OpenStreetMaps)
Ukrainian forces have liberated approximately 16 square kilometers (about 6.2 square miles) near Pokrovsk in recent weeks, Syrskyi announced on April 17.
Russian forces have recently intensified attacks in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, Ukraine's Southern Defense Forces spokesperson, Vladyslav Voloshyn, said on April 29.
While Donetsk Oblast has been the epicenter of Russian aggression since 2014, with escalation after the full-scale invasion in 2022, Russian troops have not yet crossed into neighboring Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
Since early March, Ukraine has signaled readiness for a 30-day ceasefire if Russia agrees to reciprocal terms. Moscow has refused, demanding extraordinary concessions, including a halt to all foreign military aid to Ukraine.
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.
Abbey Fenbert
