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.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce called for "concrete proposals from both sides" in order for Washington to "move forward" in peace negotiations.
"If they speak to each other in Russian, he doesn't know what they are saying," one Western official told NBC News. Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, called Witkoff's approach "a very bad idea."
Tougher sanctions "should be applied to (Russia's) banking and energy sectors, targeting fossil fuels, oil, and the shadow fleet," the leaders of Ukraine, the U.K., France, Germany, and Poland said in a joint statement.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a press conference following his meeting with Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin in Kyiv on March 10, 2023. (President's Office)
Ukraine is not involved in the explosions on Russian Nord Stream gas pipelines, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 10, cited by Suspilne news outlet.
"It's funny, to be honest," Zelensky told reporters about recent media reports suggesting Ukraine was linked to the pipelines' sabotage. "We are interested in weapons being supplied, sanctions being introduced, and our victory."
According to Ukraine's president, information about Kyiv's alleged connection with Nord Stream attacks is being spread to slow down Western aid to Ukraine.
"I think it is very dangerous that some independent media, which I always treated with great respect, take such steps. I think it is wrong, it only plays into the hands of Russia," Zelensky said at a press conference, as quoted by Suspilne.
The New York Times reported on March 7, citing unidentified U.S. officials who reviewed new intelligence, that a "pro-Ukrainian group" likely consisting of Russian or/and Ukrainian nationals might have carried out the attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines. The intelligence suggests that the group included opponents of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, but there is no evidence of any government's involvement in the sabotage.
According to a joint report by the German publications ARD, Kontraste, SWR, and Die Zeit published on the same day, German investigators identified a boat allegedly used to sabotage Russian Nord Stream gas pipelines, suggesting it had been rented from a company owned by Ukrainians. The citizenship of the alleged saboteurs is unclear as they likely used forged documents, reads the report. German investigators have not yet managed to find out who had ordered the attack, Die Zeit wrote.
The Times reported that Western intelligence had known for months the name of a Ukrainian private sponsor of the explosions, but his name was withheld to protect Ukraine. According to the publication, the suspect is not related to the Ukrainian government.
Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, and Mykhailo Podoliak, an advisor to the presidential administration, also denied Kyiv's involvement in the explosions.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and EU top diplomat Josep Borrell urged to wait for the official results of the investigations being conducted separately by Denmark, Sweden, and Germany.
On Sept. 26-28, four leaks were discovered in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Baltic sea that were built to supply natural gas from Russia to Europe. Following the leaks, several Western officials, including U.S. President Joe Biden, called them a "deliberate act of sabotage."
Russian submarines were seen on Sept. 24-25 near the areas where the leaks were discovered, CNN reported, citing an unnamed Western intelligence official. Russia denied its responsibility for the explosions.
Gas delivery from Russia to Europe via Nord Stream 1, which peaked at 59.2 billion cubic meters in 2021, was cut by Russian state gas company Gazprom on Aug. 31, 2022, on the grounds of required maintenance work.
Nord Stream 2, set to be opened this year, was halted when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February.
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.
