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.
The aftermath of a Russian drone strike against Odesa on March 2, 2024 (State Emergency Service/Telegram)
Theodoros Roussopoulos, the president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), and U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink on March 2 condemned Russia’s overnight attack on Odesa, which killed at least eight people.
The drone strike hit a multi-story building in the southern city, destroying 18 apartments and trapping people under the rubble. Among the killed residents were a four-month-old boy and a two-year-old one. Eight more people were wounded, including a three-year-old girl.
“Our thoughts are with the victims of these horrific attacks. We must continue to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s barbaric war,” Brink wrote on the social platform X.
Roussopoulos said that Russia “will be held accountable for all the crimes it committed in Ukraine.”
Amid uncertainty over stalled U.S. aid to Ukraine and critical shortages of ammunition, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 2 that allies' “political games” limit Ukraine’s defense capabilities and lead to deaths as a result of Russia’s strikes.
On March 2, the Ukrainian authorities reported on Russia’s attacks on Kherson, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. According to them, two people were killed, and five were injured.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
