"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.
First responders at the site of a Russian attack in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine, on Dec. 25, 2024. (State Emergency Service)
Ukraine's State Emergency Service refuted claims that 50% of its employees would be mobilized, saying on Jan. 16 via Facebook that 90% of its personnel are exempt from mobilization.
"Every day, State Emergency Service employees rescue citizens and mitigate the consequences of Russian attacks, often at the cost of their health and lives," the agency said, urging the public to rely on verified information.
The State Emergency Service clarified that rapid response units — firefighters, sappers, rescuers, chemists, engineers, and similar specialists — are fully exempt from mobilization to continue critical operations.
This denial follows opposition MP Oleksii Honcharenko's Telegram post alleging plans for widespread State Emergency Service mobilization after Feb. 28, which the State Emergency Service labeled as misinformation.
The news also comes amid reports of personnel transfers from Ukraine's Air Force to the Ground Forces, reported by Ukrainska Pravda on Jan. 14. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi allegedly had ordered the reassignment of over 5,000 Air Force personnel to address infantry shortages, particularly in Donetsk Oblast.
Speaking anonymously, a senior Air Force officer warned that such transfers risk undermining unit effectiveness, especially for anti-aircraft missile systems that require highly trained and cohesive teams. The officer added that if transfers proceed as planned, some units could see staffing levels drop to 40%.
The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces denied these claims on Jan. 14, saying that technical and aviation personnel numbers are increasing rather than being reassigned.
Ukraine has been struggling with a manpower shortage, especially in the infantry, while Russia has intensified its offensive in Donetsk Oblast since the summer of 2024.
About 930,000 Ukrainians liable for military service are temporarily exempt from conscription, Forbes Ukraine reported last August. The Ukrainian government has also permitted businesses to reserve up to 50% of their employees if their enterprises are deemed critical to the economy’s functioning.
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.
Martin Fornusek
