While serving as a bishop in Peru, Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, called the full-scale war "a true invasion, imperialist in nature, where Russia seeks to conquer territory for reasons of power.”
Speaking to CNN on May 10, Peskov commented on the latest ceasefire proposal from Ukraine and Europe, responding that Russia needs to "think about" it, but is "resistant" to pressure.
Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on May 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky rebuked the idea of a demilitarized zone in the war and emphasized the importance of first securing a ceasefire.
"We agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We jointly demand this from Russia, and we know we are supported in this by the United States," Zelensky said.
Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
A notice about the airspace closure was published on the U.S. Defense Department's NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) website on May 10, as cited by Ukrainian defense news outlet Militarnyi.
Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra on Feb. 15, 2023, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Yurii Stefanyak/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
The Ukrainian government terminated the agreement with the Russian-controlled Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) on the free use of religious buildings located in the Lower Lavra, a part of Ukraine's most significant Orthodox monastery.
The UOC-MP's church members must leave the Lower Lavra's premises by March 29, according to a statement published by Culture Ministry on March 10.
Earlier, the Ukrainian state didn't extend the Russian-affiliated church's lease of another part of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra called the Upper Lavra, starting the process of regaining control over the monastery.
In 2013, during the presidency of ousted Viktor Yanukovych, the Kremlin-linked patriarchate signed a lease agreement on the use of Lower Lavra's buildings in central Kyiv for an indefinite period.
President Volodymyr Zelensky's government started checking the legality of the UOC-MP's lease on the Lower Lavra in early December, finally concluding that the church had violated the contract's terms, the Culture Ministry's statement reads.
Apart from the Moscow Patriarchate, the premises of the Lavra are also used by a museum.
The UOC-MP has faced backlash in recent months due to its deep and long-standing ties to Russia, as well as the discovery of Russian passports, anti-Ukrainian propaganda, and stolen icons during nationwide raids on its religious sites. Searches have also taken place at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.
Despite claiming independence from the Russian Orthodox Church in May and condemning the ongoing war in Ukraine, the UOC-MP remains subordinated to Moscow in the hierarchy of the Orthodox world.
On Dec. 1, Zelensky announced the start of a procedure to ban activities of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine.
The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra ("pecherska" means "cave"), founded in 1051, is one of the first monasteries in Kyivan Rus. It belonged to the Ukrainian branch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople until 1688 when it was annexed by the Russian Orthodox Church.
Since 1688, the Lavra has been used for Russian imperial propaganda.
The independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine on Jan. 7 held a Christmas service at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra for the first time.
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