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.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
A house damaged by a Russian rocket strike on Vorozhba, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine, on Feb. 5, 2024. ( Sumy Oblast Military Administration/Telegram)
Russian forces launched a rocket attack against the town of Vorozhba in Sumy Oblast on the evening of Feb. 5, killing one person and wounding another two, the regional administration reported.
Settlements in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy Oblast, located near the region’s border with Russia, suffer from almost daily strikes, leading to multiple casualties among civilians.
Russian troops used multiple-launch rocket systems to hit Vorozhba at about 5 p.m. local time, with local authorities recording eight explosions.
A 40-year-old man was killed while his mother and another resident sustained injuries, according to the Sumy Oblast Military Administration.
The attack reportedly damaged five residential houses, several outbuildings, and power lines.
Vorozhba, with a pre-war population of a bit over 6,500 people, lies around 50 kilometers northwest of Sumy and just over 10 kilometers from the Ukraine-Russia border.
Dinara Khalilova is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a news editor. In the early weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion, she worked as a fixer and local producer for Sky News’ team in Ukraine. Dinara holds a BA in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and a Master’s degree in media and communication from the U.K.’s Bournemouth University.
Daria Shulzhenko
