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.
The aftermath of Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast over the past 24 hours. (Photo: Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko / Telegram)
Two people were killed, and two others were injured in Russian attacks against Donetsk Oblast over the past 24 hours, Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko reported on Sept. 3.
According to Krylenko, the casualties occurred in the town of Vuhledar.
The Prosecutor General's Office said on Sept. 2 that Russian forces likely carried out an aerial strike and Vuhledar's residential areas "were at the epicenter of the strikes."
A 43-year-old man and his 42-year-old wife were killed.
The 19-year-old daughter of the couple and another resident, 53 years old, were injured. They were taken to the hospital for their injuries.
Kyrylenko wrote that Russian forces also targeted the city of Kramatorsk with Grad multiple-launch rocket systems, causing damage to four buildings and over 20 graves in the local cemetery.
Kramatorsk is located close to the front line in Donetsk Oblast. It has served as a way station for Ukrainian troops, volunteers, and journalists, making it a frequent target of Russian missiles.
A total of 1,679 people have been reported killed in Donetsk Oblast since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, and 4,066 others have been reported injured.
However, these numbers do not include the casualty rates in Russian-occupied Volnovakha and Mariupol, as they are currently impossible to calculate. The actual casualty numbers are expected to be much higher.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Asami Terajima
