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.
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.
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.
Despite the Kremlin’s announcement of a May 8–11 truce, heavy fighting continued in multiple regions throughout the day.
At least several sites were hit by Russian missiles in Ukraine on the morning of Jan. 26, according to the reports of local authorities.
Russia launched a mass missile attack on Ukraine on the morning of Jan. 26, firing at least 30 missiles, according to Ukraine's Air Force.
Most of the missiles were downed. Air defense was heard working over several regions.
An energy facility in Odesa Oblast and an unidentified site in Vinnytsia Oblast were hit.
One person was killed and two wounded by the fragments of a Russian missile targeting Kyiv and downed by air defense in the capital's southern Holosiivsky District on the morning of Jan. 26, according to Kyiv City Military Administration. The civilian killed in the attack was a 55-year-old man.
Serhii Popko, head of Kyiv City Military Administration, later said that Russia had launched 20 missiles at the city of Kyiv, all of which were downed by Ukrainian air defense.
Earlier, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said there were explosions in the Dniprovskyi district on Kyiv's left bank as well. He added that the first responders were heading to the site, and the details of the attack would follow.
In Kyiv Oblast, the local administration reported damage to civilian infrastructure facilities and residential buildings but "no casualties."
The head of Kyiv Oblast's police, Andrii Nebytov, said that fragments of Russian missiles had already been found in several districts of the region.
Russian forces struck energy infrastructure sites in at least two Ukrainian regions on Jan. 26, causing "significant problems with electricity supply," according to Odesa Oblast Governor Maksym Marchenko.
Vinnytsia Oblast was also hit, said Governor Serhii Borzov, but didn't provide information on damages. He added that the first responders were working on the site, and there were no casualties.
Yuriy Ihnat, the spokesman of Ukraine's Air Force, confirmed that targets in several regions had been hit by Russian missiles, including in Vinnytsia Oblast. Earlier, he said that Russia had launched "at least 30 missiles" at Ukraine.
Ukraine's private energy company DTEK said it was performing emergency shutdowns in Kyiv city and Kyiv, Odesa, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts due to a missile attack. Local authorities in Sumy and Kirovohrad oblasts also reported power outages.
Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukraine's critical infrastructure with hundreds of missiles and drones since Oct. 10, killing dozens of civilians and severely damaging the country's energy system.
Russia admitted that Ukraine's energy infrastructure is among its primary targets. According to the Geneva Conventions, targeting vital public infrastructure constitutes a war crime.
