Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
A notice about the airspace closure was published on the U.S. Defense Department's NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) website on May 10, as cited by Ukrainian defense news outlet Militarnyi.
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.
Aerial view of war-torn Velyka Novosilka, Donetsk Oblast. Jan. 26, 2025. (110th Separate Mechanised Brigade / Telegram)
Ukrainian troops avoided encirclement as Russian forces are poised to capture Velyka Novosilka, Donetsk Oblast, said the 110th Separate Mechanised Brigade.
Ukrainian troops successfully withdrew from some areas to avoid being encircled but fighting is ongoing around the village, which lies around 15 kilometers east of the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
Equipment on both sides wears thin but Russian infantry vastly outnumbers the Ukrainian side, the brigade wrote on its Telegram channel.
While Russian troops will likely capture the village soon, they will struggle to advance their offensive onward. The Mokri Yaly River creates an obstacle for Russia’s advance and Russian troops are in a vulnerable “fire pocket,” said the brigade.
“Any movement is suppressed by shells and drones," said the brigade.
The river also hindered supply routes to the Ukrainians. On Jan 23, Military spokesperson Viktor Trehubov warned that Ukrainian troops were at risk of encirclement.
Russian forces are attempting to take control of access routes to the village through heavy fire, Trehubov noted.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Jan. 24 that its troops had planted a Russian flag in the center of Velyka Novosilka and that they had split the town in two, cutting off Ukrainian forces. The southern pocket fell most recently.
Experts told the Kyiv Independent that Ukrainian troops were likely holding onto the village's northwestern areas and Russia expected to complete the capture in “days.”
If they do, it will be Russia’s first notable win this year.
It is unclear how many Ukrainian troops were trapped inside the southern pocket in Velyka Novosilka, but it could be around two or three battalions, according to Pasi Paroinen at the Finland-based open-source intelligence organization Black Bird Group. The number of soldiers is probably around several hundred, he added.
Fighting is at a very heavy level in Donetsk Oblast and Russian troops continue to advance, albeit slowly, this year. Throughout the fall of 2024, Russian forces made operational gains in southern Donetsk Oblast, including areas near Toretsk and Chasiv Yar, while advancing near Kupiansk and on Russian soil in Kursk Oblast.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Asami Terajima
