"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.
The purported strike of a Ukraine Security Service (SBU) on industrial equipment at Russian gas compressor stations, published on March 13 (Exilenova / Telegram)
Drones launched by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) struck two gas compressor stations and a warehouse storing missiles for Russia's S-300/S-400 air defense systems, a security source told the Kyiv Independent on March 14.
The long-range drones targeted gas compressor stations in Russia's Tambov and Saratov oblasts, according to the source.
Another strike reportedly hit a missile depot near the village of Radkovka in Belgorod Oblast, triggering a detonation of stored ammunition.
"The SBU conducted another successful special operation on enemy territory, causing significant damage to Russia's budget and reducing its ability to finance and sustain the war," the source said.
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims.
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The purported moment of a Ukraine Security Service (SBU) drone strike on industrial equipment at Russian gas compressor stations, published on March 13 (Exilenova / Telegram)
The S-300 and S-400 systems are Russia's primary long-range air defense weapons, capable of intercepting aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic threats.
Ukraine targets Russian gas compressor stations to disrupt energy exports, a key source of revenue for Moscow’s war effort.
Ukraine has consistently targeted Russia's fossil fuel and military infrastructure to weaken its ability to sustain prolonged aggression. Overnight on March 14, Ukrainian drones also hit the Tuapse oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai, setting fire to a gasoline storage tank.
Russian pro-government media outlet Mash claimed the fire was caused by debris from a downed drone, while eyewitnesses reported hearing a series of explosions.
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
