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 missile attack against the Krasnopillia community in Sumy Oblast on April 3, 2024. (Sumy Oblast Military Administration/Telegram)
Russian forces attacked Sumy Oblast 46 times in 11 separate attacks throughout the day, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported on April 3.
The communities of Yunakivka, Bilopillia, Krasnopillia, and Velyka Pysarivka were targeted.
Throughout the day, Russia assailed the border communities with mortar, artillery, drone, grenade launcher, and missile attacks. Explosives were also dropped by drones onto the village of Yunakivka.
The town of Velyka Pysarivka experienced the bulk of the attack with 26 explosions recorded in the area. The community sits directly on the Russia-Ukraine border.
Russian attacks on Sumy Oblast have become increasingly destructive in recent weeks.
Amid an up-tick in Russian attacks on Velyka Pysarivka in recent weeks, authorities have been working to increase evacuation efforts in the town, with at least 300 residents being evacuated.
According to a spokesperson for Sumy Oblast's 117th Territorial Defense Brigade, approximately 250 resident remain in Velyka Pysarivka. The community had a pre-war population of about 4,000 residents.
Shelling is a daily occurrence for the communities near Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia, with residents in the region's vulnerable border settlements experience multiple attacks per day.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Kateryna Denisova
