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."
Rostov Oblast Governor Vasily Golubev at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, June 16, 2023. (Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
A drone attack in the city of Morozovsk in Russia's Rostov Oblast caused a fire and disruptions to the local power supply, Russian officials and news outlets reported early on June 14.
Russian air defense units faced a "mass attack" of drones in the region's Morozovsk district, Rostov Oblast Governor Vasily Golubev reported. The attack left some parts of the area without power.
Russia downed 87 Ukrainian drones over its territory overnight, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed.
According to the ministry, Russian air defense shot down 70 drones over Rostov Oblast, six over Voronezh Oblast, six over Kursk Oblast, two over Belgorod Oblast, two over Volgograd Oblast, and one over occupied Crimea.
"Several settlements have fallen into the blackout zone," Golubev said.
A fire also broke out in the city, the Russian Telegram news channel Astra reported. Local residents reported hearing explosions.
Rostov Oblast borders Ukraine to the southeast. Reports of drone attacks against the region's oil infrastructure have increased in spring 2024.
The region's Morozovsk district is also home to a Russian military airbase.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
