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.
The first General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons received by Ukraine fly on the Day of Ukrainian Air Force in an unspecified location, Ukraine on Aug. 4, 2024. (Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
The State Department approved a $266 million foreign military sales package for Ukraine on Dec. 10, enabling the sustainment of services as well as repairs necessary for the upkeep of the country's F-16 fighter jets.
The proposed sale, which has not yet been formally finalized, includes key support systems for Ukraine's F-16 fighter jets, including the Joint Mission Planning System, weapons software, training equipment, as well as spare and replacement parts for the jets, the State Department said.
The announcement of the sale package comes as President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Dec. 7 that Denmark has transferred a second batch of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, further bolstering the country's air defense capabilities.
The sales package "will improve Ukraine’s capability to meet current and future threats by further equipping it to conduct self-defense and regional security missions with a more robust air defense capability," the State Department said in its statement announcing the sale.
Ukraine received its first F-16s at the beginning of August, a year after its allies formed the fighter jet coalition at the NATO summit in Vilnius to support Kyiv with training and aircraft.
Ukraine's limited number of F-16 fighter jets have continued to shoot down Russian aerial targets, despite concerns over the pace of training provided for Ukrainian pilots. These concerns were amplified following the deadly crash of an F-16 jet during efforts to repel a massive Russian attack.
Despite the incident, hundreds of Ukrainian pilots have received F-16 training from a number of Western allies, including the United States.
In late August, the White House rejected a proposal from the U.S. military to send civilian contractors to Ukraine to maintain F-16s and other equipment, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The sales package comes as the Biden administration rushes to deliver additional aid to Ukraine ahead of the January inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, amid concerns that a future Trump administration would halt military aid to Kyiv.
On Dec. 7, the U.S. announced its latest $988 million military package to Ukraine, including ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), as well as new drone deliveries. The latest aid package will be supplied through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative — a Pentagon-led program for supplying arms to Ukraine through contracts with U.S. defense companies.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Dmytro Basmat
