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.
Ukraine's state-owned defense conglomerate Ukroboronprom has opened a representative office in Washington, the company announced on July 9, 2024. (Ukroboronprom)
Ukraine's largest state-owned defense company Ukroboronprom reported a consolidated net profit of Hr 1.31 billion ($31.5 million) for the previous year, according to a press release at the company's website.
Ukroboronprom is a leading strategic manufacturer of weapons and military hardware in Ukraine. The association unites about 100 enterprises that develop and manufacture weapons, military equipment and ammunition, including missiles, drones, armored vehicles.
The company's enterprises tripled production volumes in 2024 compared to 2023, with a 36% increase in contracts.
According to the press release, almost all production (96%) consisted of new or upgraded military equipment in 2024.
"We began manufacturing new weapons that substantially enhanced the capabilities of Ukraine's Defense Forces," said Ukroboronprom Director General Oleg Gulyak.
Most of the profits will go toward weapons production, expanding facilities, relocating operations, and building new manufacturing capabilities, with a smaller portion paid to the state budget as dividends, Ukroboronprom said.
In 2024 Ukroboronprom broke into the global top 50 for the first time in Defense News' annual ranking, jumping 16 spots from 65th place last year.
The company's revenue surged 72% to $2.2 billion in 2023, making it the fastest-growing among the world's top 100 defense manufacturers.
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine has significantly increased its weapons production, particularly focusing on unmanned systems.
Deputy Defense Minister Valerii Churkin said earlier that more than 95% of drones used by Ukrainian forces at the front line are domestically manufactured.
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