The sanctions appear to be in response to Russia's rejection of a 30-day ceasefire that the U.K., alongside Ukraine, France, Germany, and Poland, demanded during a visit to Kyiv on May 10.
"We now know for sure that the great fire of the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw was caused by arson ordered by the Russian special services," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X. "Some of the perpetrators have already been detained, all the others are identified and searched for."
The publications' latest report covers the period of February 24, 2022 to May 8, 2025. Since it was last updated at the end of April, 2,857 additional Russian military personnel have been confirmed killed.
Hungary cancelled a meeting planned for May 12 with a Ukrainian delegation on the rights of national minorities, Hungary's Deputy Foreign Minister said on May 11, amid a deepening spying scandal between the two countries.
Three were injured in Russia's Kursk Oblast when the town of Rylsk was allegedly struck by a missile attack on May 11, local governor Alexander Khinshtein claimed.
This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a speech on the stand in front of the first General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon received by Ukraine, congratulating the Ukrainian military on Aug. 4, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidency/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Ukraine expects Russia to confirm a full and lasting ceasefire starting May 12 and declared its readiness to begin talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement on May 11.
Zelensky called a ceasefire the essential first step toward ending the war.
“It’s a good sign that the Russians are finally thinking about ending the war,” Zelensky said. “Everyone in the world has long awaited this. And the first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire.”
“There is no point in continuing the killing, even for one more day,” he added. “We expect Russia to confirm a full, durable, and reliable ceasefire starting tomorrow, May 12, and Ukraine is ready to meet.”
Instead, Putin accused Ukraine of violating a three-day ceasefire he had unilaterally declared for Victory Day commemorations, claiming Kyiv launched cross-border attacks into Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions.
The temporary "truce," which lasted from midnight May 8 to midnight May 11, officially expired on Saturday. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian attacks on civilian areas and frontline positions continued throughout the ceasefire period.
Kyiv accepted an unconditional 30-day U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal in March, but Moscow rejected it, demanding a complete end to Western military support for Ukraine.
Russia has repeatedly proclaimed its supposed readiness for peace talks while simultaneously pushing for maximalist demands, including the incorporation of the four Ukrainian regions illegally annexed in autumn 2022 into Russia.
Kyiv has dismissed these declarations as a propaganda stunt, noting that Russian forces have only intensified their attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns.
Anna Fratsyvir is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent, with a background in broadcast journalism and international affairs. Previously, she worked as a TV journalist at Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne, covering global politics and international developments. Anna holds a Bachelor's degree in International Communications from Taras Shevchenko National University and is currently an MA candidate in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
The Kyiv Independent news desk
