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.
Russian forces were planning to place an anti-aircraft missile system on the Sergey Kotov patrol vessel, reportedly destroyed on March 5, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) spokesperson Andrii Yusov told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
The military intelligence agency confirmed earlier today that the Project 22160 patrol ship was hit by Ukrainian Magura V5 naval drones off the coast of occupied Crimea. The Russian Defense Ministry is yet to comment on the incident.
"This is a new ship worth more than $60 million. Ships of this type entered the service in 2017, and the enemy had plans for them," Yusov said.
"In addition to serving as a patrol boat, there were plans to place anti-aircraft systems on the ship itself," he added.
Regarding the vessel's crew, Yusov said, "There are killed and wounded, but there is a possibility that some of the crew managed to evacuate."
In total, Russia's Black Sea Fleet had four vessels of this design, which the Ukrainian Navy calls "the most modern:" Vasily Bykov, Pavel Derzhavin, Sergey Kotov, and Dmitry Rogachev. Only the latter has not been attacked during the all-out war.
Sergey Kotov has already reportedly been hit by naval drones along with another patrol ship, the Vasiliy Bykov, in September 2023. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed at the time that the vessels managed to repel the attack.
"The fewer such ships (there are), the fewer air defense systems can be placed on them, presenting more opportunities for Ukrainian forces," Yusov said.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Kateryna Denisova
