Although Moscow declared on April 28 that it would halt all military actions from May 8 to midnight on May 11 to mark Victory Day, strikes on civilian areas have continued.
Under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's rule, millions of Ukrainians died during the Holodomor, a man-made famine in 1932–1933. The dictator also oversaw mass deportations, purges of Ukrainian intellectuals and leaders, and the suppression of the Ukrainian language and culture.
According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), this marks the first time Ukrainian authorities have exposed a Hungarian military intelligence network conducting activities harmful to Ukraine.
Delegations from 35 countries and the Council of Europe gathered in Lviv as EU officials prepare to approve both new defense aid and steps toward establishing a tribunal for Russian leadership.
The ruling marks a significant victory for RFE/RL amid growing concerns about U.S. funding cuts to independent media countering Russian disinformation.
U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected the new pope and leader of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday, taking the name Pope Leo XIV, a senior cardinal announced on May 8 to crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square, according to Vatican News.
George Simion, leader of Romania's far-right AUR party, who won the first round of the presidential election with nearly 40% of the vote, reiterated that if elected, he would oppose any further assistance to Ukraine and shift Romania’s focus inward.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed their countries' relationship on May 8, vowing to increase cooperation in all areas, including military ties.
"There is Turkey, which maintains channels of communication. And then, above all, there is the People's Republic of China, which, more than anyone else, has the means to make (Russian President Vladimir) Putin come to the negotiating table and soften his demands," Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on May 8.
The United States will be ready to "walk away" from the negotiating table if it does not see Russia making progress in negotiation to end the war, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Fox News on May 8.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico arrived in Moscow on May 9 to celebrate Victory Day, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
US President Donald Trump on May 8 called for a "30-day unconditional ceasefire" between Ukraine and Russia. Writing on Truth Social, Trump expressed his hope for "an acceptable ceasefire," with both countries "held accountable for respecting the sanctity of... direct negotiations."
President Volodymyr Zelensky had a "constructive" phone call with United States President Donald Trump on May 8, discussing the war, continued pressure on Russia, and a potential ceasefire.
Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov in Kyiv, April 2023. (Photo by Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Kyrylo Budanov, the chief of Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR), said that Ukraine should expect to face a renewed Russian offensive in late spring or early summer, with the offensive intensifying around Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, Budanov told German outlet ARD in an interview published on April 7.
According to Budanov, a potential Russian offensive may target key objectives in Donetsk Oblast. "(Russia) will push a little closer to Chasiv Yar. They will move towards the city of Pokrovsk," Budanov told ARD.
Recently, Russian troops have been focusing their efforts near Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast, which is located about 70 kilometers northwest of the city of Donetsk and about 10 kilometers west of occupited Bakhmut.
According to Ukraine's military, Russia sees the capture of the city as a crucial milestone for further advances westward toward Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk.
During the interview, Budanov called on Western allies to provide more weaponry to fend off any Russian offensives, adding that Ukraine urgently needs"additional amounts of artillery systems, additional amounts of ammunition.” Budanov also reiterated Ukraine's calls for Germany's delivery of Taurus cruise missiles.
Budanov's comments echoed President Volodymyr Zelensky's assessmenton March 28 that a renewed major Russian offensive may come at the end of May or in June.
NATO intelligence data has disputed Ukraine's assertions of a renewed offensive, suggesting instead that Russia is unlikely to launch a large-scale offensive in the near future without further large-scale mobilization, a NATO official told European Pravda on April 4 on the condition of anonymity.
Over the past week, a number of media outlets have also reported that Russia may launch a ground offensive against Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, this year - a report that Ukraine's military dismissed as part of a Russian "psychological operation."
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.
Kateryna Hodunova
