"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.
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.
Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi, the newly-appointed commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Force, speaks during the military branch's presentation in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 11, 2024. The military demonstrated various types of remotely-operated unmanned robotic systems that their members use. (Andrew Kravchenko/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Ukraine is now among the nations with laser weapon capabilities, Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, announced on Dec. 16, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine.
Speaking at the “European Defense Industry: Prospects for Cooperation with the Ukrainian Defense Industry” conference, Sukharevskyi said Ukraine’s laser system, called Tryzub, can down aircraft at altitudes exceeding 2 kilometers.
“This laser is real and operational,” he emphasized, adding that efforts are underway to scale up its capabilities.
The Kyiv Independent couldn't immediately verify Sukharevskyi's claim.
Sukharevskyi also discussed the development of "mother drones," or “queen drones,” which carry two FPV (first-person view) light attack drones.
These drones, capable of flying over 70 kilometers into enemy territory, serve as repeaters and hit deep targets. He described this innovation as a “breakthrough” in Ukraine’s drone technology.
The Unmanned Systems Forces established less than six months ago, already include combat and research units operating across air, land, and sea.
Ukraine’s defense industry has gained momentum since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov recently announced the serial production of Palianytsia, a lightweight missile-drone hybrid, further advancing Ukraine’s military capabilities.
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
