"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
While serving as a bishop in Peru, Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, called the full-scale war "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.
Smoke rising over Yuvileine, a suburb of Russian-occupied Luhansk, on May 20, 2024, after an alleged Ukrainian rocket attack. (Governor Artem Lysohor/Telegram)
A Ukrainian rocket attack targeted a Russian military base in occupied Luhansk's suburb of Yuvileine on May 20, said the governor of Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast, Artem Lysohor, citing local residents.
The Russian state-owned media reported on the attack earlier on May 20, alleging that it had targeted residential areas.
According to Lysohor, Luhansk's residents had said that Russian forces set up a military base there, close to civilian buildings. Until 2014, the Academy of Internal Affairs operated in the targeted area, he added.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify all the claims. The Ukrainian military has not yet commented on the reports.
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Smoke rising over Yuvileine, a suburb of Russian-occupied Luhansk, on May 20, 2024, after an alleged Ukrainian rocket attack. (Governor Artem Lysohor/Telegram)
"The honor of a Russian officer means to hide behind our compatriots and among our homes. This is nothing new," Lysohor wrote on his Telegram channel.
"We congratulate our fighters on a successful hunt, and we are grateful to our people for the exact coordinates."
On May 13, a Russian ammunition depot exploded in the occupied town of Sorokyne (Krasnodon) in Luhansk Oblast, Lysohor reported at the time.
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.
Anastasiia Lapatina
