The newly appointed Pope Leo XIV condemned Russia's war against Ukraine in an interview on May 9, characterizing it as "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.
"We agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We jointly demand this from Russia, and we know we are supported in this by the United States," Zelensky said.
Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
A notice about the airspace closure was published on the U.S. Defense Department's NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) website on May 10, as cited by Ukrainian defense news outlet Militarnyi.
Photo for illustrative purposes. A Gazprom Neft filling station is seen in Moscow. (Vlad Karkov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Russia’s natural gas production saw a significant decline in February, dropping 11.3% year-on-year to 57.2 billion cubic meters (bcm), according to Russian media outlet Kommersant, which cited sources familiar with Energy Ministry data.
The sharp decline is primarily attributed to Ukraine halting Russian gas transit through its territory on Jan. 1 after the expiration of a 2019 transit agreement. The move has severely impacted Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned gas giant, whose production fell 13.2% year-on-year to 38.2 bcm in February.
With the loss of Ukrainian transit routes, Kommersant reports that Gazprom now relies almost entirely on the TurkStream pipeline, which has an annual capacity of just under 16 bcm—significantly restricting Russia’s ability to export gas to Europe.
Beyond Gazprom, other major Russian energy companies also reported declines in production. Novatek reduced its output by 1.5%, producing 6.4 bcm in February. Lukoil’s gas production fell by 13.3% to 1.3 bcm, while Rosneft recorded a 14% drop, bringing its total production to 5.5 bcm. Gazprom Neft also reported a decline of 8.3%, producing 2.2 bcm during the month.
The downturn extended beyond Russia’s borders. Kommersant reported that Gazprom Neft’s gas production in the NIS (Serbian oil and gas company), Badra (Badra oil field located in eastern Iraq), and Kurdistan (Iraq) fell by 20.5%, while Rosneft’s output at Egypt’s Zohr field declined by 21.3% compared to the previous year.
The only projects that maintained their 2024 levels were Sakhalin-1 and Sakhalin-2, which produced 0.7 bcm and 1.4 bcm in February, respectively.
Despite the slump, Russian price agencies told Kommersant that gas production in 2025 is expected to remain at 2024 levels as Moscow shifts its focus toward expanding pipeline exports to China and increasing LNG shipments.
Kateryna Denisova
