This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
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."
The aftermath of a Russian air strike on Bilopillia, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine, on April 8, 2024. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Sumy Oblast Military Administration/Telegram)
Russian forces struck 13 communities in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy Oblast in 54 separate attacks throughout the day, the regional administration reported on April 20. At least 283 explosions were reported in Sumy Oblast over the past 24 hours.
A civilian was injured in the Khotin community following Russia's artillery shelling.
The communities of Mykolaiv, Khotin, Myropillia, Yunakivka, Bilopillia, Krasnopillia, Velyka Pysarivka, Nova Sloboda, Shalyhyne, Esman, Shostka, Seredyna-Buda, and Znob-Novhorodske were targeted.
Throughout the day, Russia assailed the border communities with mortar, artillery, grenade launcher, and drone attacks. At least two communities saw 44 mines dropped, according to the Sumy Oblast Military Administration.
The town of Velyka Pysarivka, located directly on the Russia-Ukraine border, experienced the bulk of the attacks, with 46 explosions reported in the area.
Sumy Oblast borders Russia's Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts. Russian attacks against the region have become increasingly destructive in recent weeks, killing and injuring civilians.
Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.
Kateryna Denisova
