May was colder and gloomier than usual — both in weather and in mood. Grey skies and damp ground seemed to echo the uncertainty facing Ukraine as the war entered yet another month.
It began with a diplomatic reset following a tense exchange between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February. Ukraine signed a long-awaited strategic minerals agreement with the U.S., marking a step forward in bilateral cooperation.
On the battlefield, Ukraine launched a new wave of long-range drone strikes that reached deep into Russian territory, targeting airports, defense industries, and even disrupting the lead up to Moscow’s symbolic Victory Day parade. For the first time, sea drones were used to take down Russian fighter jets.
Despite Russia’s announcement of a "Victory Day truce" on May 9, fighting continued along the front lines.
On May 14, intelligence reports warned of a potential new Russian offensive. Tensions escalated along the Donetsk front, while a Russian troop buildup near Sumy raised alarms about a possible incursion from the north.
After an unexpected decision from the Kremlin, direct peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow resumed in Istanbul on May 16 after a three-year pause.
Moscow insisted on returning to the 2022 negotiation framework — which effectively demanded Ukraine’s surrender, conditions Kyiv and its allies rejected. Still, the meeting resulted in a major humanitarian breakthrough — the largest prisoner exchange to date, with 1,000 prisoners of war on each side returning home.
But while it was taking place, Ukraine was hit by three nights of heavy Russian missile and drone strikes, killing and injuring dozens, including children.
On May 24, Kyiv suffered one of the most intense air assaults in months, even as Ukraine continued to call for a U.S.-backed 30-day ceasefire — a proposal Russia continues to reject for a third month.
With talks expected to resume in early June, Ukraine remains under pressure. The demands from Moscow have not changed — give up NATO aspirations and cede occupied territory.
But for now, Ukraine continues to fight, adapt, and endure — a story captured in each image from this turbulent May.
The Kyiv Independent partners with the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers to look back at some of May's most memorable moments through the eyes of Ukrainian photographers.
Elena Kalinichenko
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