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.
The survey, conducted between April 24 and May 4, shows that 56.9% of respondents would not be willing to compromise on either territorial integrity or Ukraine’s pro-Western direction in any potential talks with Moscow.
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.
Photo for illustrative purposes. A general view of the Crimean Bridge which connects Russian-occupied Crimea and Russia's Krasnodar region on July 25, 2023. (Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Multiple explosions were heard in several cities of Russian-occupied Crimea as well as in Russia’s Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk late on Jan. 4, Krym. Realii, a project of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, reported.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed its forces had destroyed and intercepted 36 Ukrainian drones over the peninsula and another over Russia’s Krasnodar region, where Novorossiysk is located. Kyiv hasn’t commented on the attack.
Earlier the same day, multiple explosions occurred in Crimea’s Sevastopol and Yevpatoriia, followed by Ukraine’s military saying it had struck a Russian command post near Sevastopol.
As for the later explosions, Alexander Ovdienko, the head of the illegal Russian occupation administration in Saky, claimed the coastline between Saky and Yevpatoriia in western Crimea was under attack.
Mikhail Razvozhaev, the head of Sevastopol's illegal Russian occupation government, hasn’t commented on the reported explosions in the city.
Krym. Realii cited local Telegram channels saying explosions were also heard in the Kerch Strait area, where the Crimean Bridge is located, and in Sevastopol, home of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The Crimean Bridge is reported closed.
Pro-Ukrainian local Telegram channel Crimean Wind wrote that explosions occurred “every few minutes” in Saky, and sounds of flying drones were heard in the area.
A photo appeared on social media showing a pillar of smoke over Novorossiysk, which is allegedly a result of the air defense’s work. Local authorities haven’t commented on the reports of explosions in the city.
The Kyiv Independent couldn’t verify any of these claims.
Over the recent months, Russian-occupied Crimea saw an uptick in Ukrainian attacks in an attempt to disrupt Russian logistics and derail its southern defenses.
