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.
"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.
Russia Tu-22M and Tupolev Tu-160 take part in a rehearsal for 2020 Victory Day parade on Moscow's Tverskaya Street in Moscow, Russia, on June 20, 2020. (Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Editor's note: The article was updated with comments from a military source for the Kyiv Independent and a statement by Ukraine's intelligence agency.
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said it had received "specific information" about a possible major Russian aerial attack on Nov. 20, urging U.S. citizens to be ready to take shelter.
"Out of an abundance of caution, the Embassy will be closed, and Embassy employees are being instructed to shelter in place," the statement read.
Other embassies, including those of Italy, Spain, and Greece, suspended operations for the day due to security concerns shortly after the announcement by the U.S. Embassy.
Ukrainian soldiers were also alerted about a potential Russian mass ballistic missile attack on Nov. 20, a source in the Ukrainian military told the Kyiv Independent.
"According to intelligence reports, a massive missile attack using ballistic missiles is possible today," a message received by Ukrainian soldiers said.
At the same time, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) warned on its Telegram channel that Russian intelligence services are amplifying the panic by spreading fake messages in messengers and social media about the supposedly upcoming attack.
The agency showed one message about the attack spread in messengers and social media, saying it was "fake and contains grammatical errors typical for Russian psychological operations."
"The enemy, unable to subjugate Ukrainians by force, resorts to measures of intimidation and psychological pressure on society. Please be vigilant," the statement read.
"Do not ignore air raid signals—it is safer to wait in a shelter. However, we urge you not to panic."
The Kyiv Independent's military source clarified that the aerial strike threat remains relevant, but Russia is carrying out a parallel psychological operation to sow panic.
Russia has ramped up the frequency of its drone strikes against Ukraine over the past few months, with air raid alerts sounding off in the capital nearly on a daily basis. As a result of an overnight drone attack on Nov. 20, debris fell in the Dniprovskyi district of Kyiv, starting a fire, officials reported.
Moscow's forces also launched a number of deadly attacks against Ukrainian cities and towns in the past week, including Odesa, Sumy, and Hlukhiv in Sumy Oblast.
Six Russian missile carriers capable of launching Kalibr cruise missiles are currently deployed in the Black Sea, the Navy warned in the morning.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Sonya Bandouil
