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.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov attends the Meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on April 11, 2025. (Omar Havana/Getty Images)
The government approved the appointments of three deputy defense ministers to ensure "greater efficiency and agility" in the ministry's work and boost ties with foreign partners, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on April 29.
Serhii Boyev, previously a deputy minister for international partnerships, was appointed first deputy defense minister. He is replacing Ivan Havryliuk, who resigned voluntarily on April 11 following a scandal over the transparency of defense procurement.
Boyev was tasked with developing a comprehensive strategy to meet the needs of the Ukrainian army and build the "Defense Forces of the future."
"Serhii Boyev's priorities will be the development of international partnerships, securing funding and investment for Ukraine’s defense-industrial complex, and establishing joint ventures with international partners," Umerov said.
Lieutenant General Mykola Shevtsov has taken on the role of deputy defense minister, focusing on logistics and procurement. Umerov described him as the one who helped to "establish effective mechanisms for supplying and supporting troops on the front lines."
Pro-reform MPs and anti-corruption activists have lambasted Umerov for what they see as efforts to destroy the independence of the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA), which was created in 2022 to make defense procurement more transparent and counter corruption.
The scandal placed the Defense Ministry in the spotlight, with Umerov facing investigation over alleged abuse of power.
Oleksandr Kozenko, a former adviser to Umerov and Presidential Office Head Andrii Yermak, has been appointed deputy defense minister in charge of aviation development.
Separately, the defense minister announced the resignation of his deputy, Serhii Melnyk. Melnyk will continue to work "in another area," Umerov added.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Abbey Fenbert
