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.
Photo for illustrative purpose. A serviceman of the 14th Regiment of Armed Forces of Ukraine holds an FPV strike drone on the front line on Oct. 26, 2023, in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine. (Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) was behind the May 10 attack on the oil refinery in Russia's Kaluga Oblast, a source in the agency confirmed to the Kyiv Independent.
Kaluga OblastGovernor Vladyslav Shapsha claimed earlier in the day that a falling drone caused a fire in the Dzerzhinsky district overnight.
The governor did not specify the facility being attacked, but locals reported the fire at the Pervyy Zavod plant, the largest petrochemical enterprise in Kaluga Oblast, according to the Russian Telegram channel Mash.
The oil refinery, located nearly 350 kilometers (around 220 miles) from Ukraine's border, specializes in the processing of commodity oil and gas condensate.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin claimed later that Russian air defenses downed a drone heading toward the Russian capital.
No casualties or damage were reported by the mayor.
The source confirmed for the Kyiv Independent that Ukraine's military intelligence agency was involved in the attack. The strike reportedly was carried out with kamikaze drones.
Ukrainian forces previously struck the Pervyy Zavod plant on March 15, 2024.
On May 9, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) attacked an oil refinery, Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat, in the Republic of Bashkortostan, and two oil depots in Krasnodar Krai, according to a source interviewed by the Kyiv Independent.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Kateryna Denisova
