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 strike on Khotin, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine, killed two police officers and injured another six on Feb. 27, 2024. Twelve other communites in Sumy Oblast were attacked the same day, and two more people were injured. (Interior Ministry/Telegram)
Russian forces attacked 13 border communities in Sumy Oblast on Feb. 27, killing two people and injuring eight others, the regional military administration reported.
Mortar shelling in Seredyna-Buda injured two residents, the administration said.
Earlier in the day, Ukraine’s National Police reported that a strike on the village of Khotin killed two police officers and wounded another six. The injured officers were hospitalized following the attack.
The Russian military fired at the Sumy Oblast border 59 times throughout the day, causing nearly 300 explosions in the area. In addition to Khotin and Seredyna-Buda, the communities of Yunakivka, Krasnopillia, Velyka Pysarivka, Druzhbiv, Znob-Novhorodske, Esman, Bilopillia, Svesa, Shalyhyne, Novosloboda, and Myropillia came under fire.
Drones, mines, artillery, multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), missiles, and other weapons were deployed in the attacks.
Residents of Sumy Oblast's border communities are subject to near-daily attacks from nearby Russian forces.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
