"(T)he presence at the Victory Parade of a country that bombs cities, hospitals, and daycares, and which has caused the deaths and injuries of over a million people over three years, is a shame," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
"According to the participants of the performances, their goal is to remind the civilized world of the barbaric actions of Moscow, which for many years and decades has systematically violated international law," a source in Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) told the Kyiv Independent.
"I have great hope that an agreement for a ceasefire in Ukraine will be reached this weekend," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on May 9, shortly before traveling to Kyiv alongside the leaders of France, Poland, and the U.K.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will arrive in Kyiv early on May 10.
The United States embassy in Kyiv on May 9 issued a warning that Russia could launch "a potentially significant" attack in the coming days, despite Putin's self-declared Victory Day "truce."
The sanctioned oil tankers have transported over $24 billion in cargo since 2024, according to Downing Street. The U.K. has now sanctioned more shadow fleet vessels than any other country.
Washington and its partners are considering additional sanctions if the parties do not observe a ceasefire, with political and technical negotiations between Europe and the U.S. intensifying since last week, Reuters' source said.
Ukraine will suspend entry for foreigners coming from African countries, where the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 has been detected, starting from Dec. 3. (dpsu.gov.ua)
Ukraine will suspend entry for foreigners traveling from several African countries where the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has been detected, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said during a televised government meeting on Dec. 2.
The temporary entry ban will come into force at midnight on Dec. 3.
The rules apply to eight African countries, which include South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Kingdom of Eswatini, the People's Republic of Mozambique and the Republic of Malawi.
Entry is prohibited for those who stayed in these restricted countries for at least a week within 14 days prior to the arrival.
The Health Ministry is enforcing mandatory 14-day self-isolation for Ukrainians returning from these countries, as well as for foreigners with a permanent or temporary residence permit. This quarantine can’t be skipped even with a Covid-19 vaccine certification.
According to Health Minister Viktor Lyashko, Ukraine passed the peak of the latest and deadliest Covid-19 wave in late November. The infections in the current wave are dominated by the Delta variant. Omicron cases have not been registered yet in the country.
Days after Omicron was discovered in South Africa, governments worldwide moved to close their borders to stem its spread. The mutated virus has disrupted air travel, leaving thousands of travelers stranded.
Much remains unknown about the new variant, including whether it is more contagious or makes people more seriously ill. It’s also unclear whether it can thwart vaccines.
Omicron has been recorded in at least 24 countries, including the United States, Germany and Japan.
Asami Terajima is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent covering Ukrainian military issues, front-line developments, and politics. She is the co-author of the weekly War Notes newsletter. She previously worked as a business reporter for the Kyiv Post focusing on international trade, infrastructure, investment, and energy. Originally from Japan, Terajima moved to Ukraine during childhood and completed her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in the U.S. She is the winner of the Thomson Reuters Foundation's Kurt Schork Award in International Journalism 2023 (Local Reporter category) and the George Weidenfeld Prize, awarded as part of Germany's Axel Springer Prize 2023. She was also featured in the Media Development Foundation’s “25 under 25: Young and Bold” 2023 list of emerging media makers in Ukraine.
