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 survey, conducted between April 24 and May 4, shows that 56.9% of respondents would not be willing to compromise on either territorial integrity or Ukraine’s pro-Western direction in any potential talks with Moscow.
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.
Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of the Russian Armed Forces' radiation, chemical, and biological defense troops. Kirillov was reportedly killed in an explosion in Moscow on Dec. 17, 2024. (Shot / Telegram)
LATEST: Russia detains two suspects over assassination of General Igor Kirillov, Kremlin media reports
Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of the Russian Armed Forces' radiation, chemical, and biological defense troops, was killed in Moscow on Dec. 17 in an operation of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), a source in the agency told the Kyiv Independent.
Kirillov and another Russian service member were reportedly killed in an explosion on the morning of Dec. 17 in the Russian capital. Ukrainian prosecutors previously charged the commander with using banned chemical weapons in the war against Ukraine.
According to the source, explosives attached to a scooter detonated when Kirillov and his aide were near the entrance of the house on Ryazansky Prospect in Moscow.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
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A video that purportedly shows the explosion in Moscow, Russia, that killed Russian Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov. (SBU source)
"Kirillov was a war criminal and completely legitimate target, as he gave orders to use banned chemical weapons against Ukrainian soldiers," the source said.
"Retribution for war crimes is inevitable."
According to the Mash Telegram channel, the explosion occurred at around 6 a.m. local time when a service car arrived for Kirillov. The pro-state outlet Kommersant reported that the general and his aide were killed by a homemade explosive device of around 300 grams of a TNT equivalent.
Russia's Investigative Committee began investigating the case as terrorism. Two undisclosed sources told the Russian RBC news agency that the investigators consider Ukraine's involvement the most likely scenario.
Moscow's forces have been increasingly deploying gas attacks against Ukrainian troops, a Kyiv Independent investigation from August showed. Ukrainian soldiers and officers interviewed by the Kyiv Independent acknowledged that the tactic is effective, allowing Moscow to capture positions occasionally without destroying them.
In October, the U.K. issued sanctions against Kirillov and his unit over the use of chemical weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine. The officer held senior positions within the radiation, chemical, and biological defense troops since 2012 and was appointed the department's chief in 2017, Meduza reports.
Kirillov has also repeatedly disseminated false narratives about U.S.-backed "bio laboratories" in Ukraine, supposedly researching biological weapons for use against Russia.
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The aftermath of an explosion in Moscow, Russia, on Dec. 17, 2024, that reportedly killed Russian Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov. (SBU source)
Asami Terajima
