"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.
Footage that purports to show the aftermath of a Ukrainian drone strike on the Russian city of Shuya in Ivanovo Oblast on April 16, 2025. (Astra / Telegram)
Ukrainian drones struck the Russian city of Shuya in Ivanovo Oblast on April 16, reportedly targeting military infrastructure linked to Russia's 112th Missile Brigade, according to independent Russian media outlet Astra.
The 112th Brigade, along with the 448th Missile Brigade, was involved in a deadly missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy on Palm Sunday on April 13, which killed at least 35 civilians, Ukraine's intelligence said.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that seven Ukrainian drones were destroyed over Ivanovo Oblast on April 16. Local authorities reported no fatalities, but two people were reportedly injured and received medical attention.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
Photos from the scene show plumes of smoke, and military equipment was deployed in the city, according to Astra.
Explosions were reported in Russia's Shuya, Ivanovo region, with smoke visible in the city, according to local residents. The moment a drone crashed was captured on video. pic.twitter.com/LRBt5P4Q9S
Shuya is situated on the Teza River, approximately 33 kilometers (20 miles) from the regional center, Ivanovo. It lies about 700 kilometers (435 miles) northeast of the Ukrainian border.
Earlier, Ukraine's General Staff confirmed on April 15 that its forces had also targeted and struck the base of the 448th Missile Brigade in Kursk Oblast.
The operation involved Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, the Special Operations Forces, and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and was launched as retaliation for the Sumy attack.
Ukrainian officials have asserted that cluster munitions were used in the Sumy attack, a serious violation of international humanitarian law when used in civilian areas. The international community widely condemned the strike, labeling it a war crime.
Ukraine's military has pledged to track and retaliate against all Russian units involved in targeting civilian populations.
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.
Daria Shulzhenko
