Although Moscow declared on April 28 that it would halt all military actions from May 8 to midnight on May 11 to mark Victory Day, strikes on civilian areas have continued.
Under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's rule, millions of Ukrainians died during the Holodomor, a man-made famine in 1932–1933. The dictator also oversaw mass deportations, purges of Ukrainian intellectuals and leaders, and the suppression of the Ukrainian language and culture.
According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), this marks the first time Ukrainian authorities have exposed a Hungarian military intelligence network conducting activities harmful to Ukraine.
Delegations from 35 countries and the Council of Europe gathered in Lviv as EU officials prepare to approve both new defense aid and steps toward establishing a tribunal for Russian leadership.
The ruling marks a significant victory for RFE/RL amid growing concerns about U.S. funding cuts to independent media countering Russian disinformation.
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.
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.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un visit the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Amur region ahead of talks on Sept. 13, 2023. (Vladimir Smirnov/AFP via Getty Images)
North Korea may have provided Russia with short-range ballistic missiles, together with artillery shells and other weaponry, the Yonhap News Agency reported on Nov 2, citing a senior South Korean military official.
Seoul estimates that Pyongyang shipped around 2,000 containers of weapons and munitions to Vladivostok in Russia's Far East. This is a notable increase from the 1,000 containers reported by the White House on Oct. 13.
This volume is capable of carrying over 200,000 122 mm artillery shells or over 1 million 152 mm shells, which are used by both countries, Yonhap wrote.
South Korean lawmaker Yoo Sang-bumsaid on Nov. 1 that according to the country's intelligence, North Korea has likely sent over a million artillery shells to boost Russia's war against Ukraine.
Aside from artillery munitions and possibly short-range ballistic missiles, Pyongyang likely provided Moscow also with T-series tank ammunition, anti-tank guided missiles, rocket launchers, rifles, and machine guns, the South Korean military said.
North Korea and Russia have been growing closer in recent months as the Kremlin seeks to boost its arms capacities amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Russia's Amur Oblast in September to discuss cooperation in space and missile technology, and presumably also arms supplies for Russia's war against Ukraine.
Seoul believes that in return, the Kremlin promised Kim technological assistance to help North Korea launch its first military reconnaissance satellite and cooperation in conventional military capabilities.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Katie Marie Davies
