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.
Ukrainians fleeing the war to Poland have a warm meal near the Lviv train station on Feb. 27, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over 836,000 people have left Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion on Feb. 24.
With Russian troops shelling Ukrainian cities, hitting schools, kindergartens and nurseries, hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing to Ukraine's westerns frontiers.
Despite Ukrainian western neighbors – Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Moldova – welcoming all those in need, the country's border checkpoints have failed to accustom unprecedented numbers.
Ukrainian families spend hours, sometimes days, in traffic at the border, while those seeking to leave by train overcrowd Ukrainian railway stations.
“At this rate, the situation is set to become Europe’s largest refugee crisis this century,” UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo said on March 1.
The Kyiv Independent publishes a series of photos from the train station in the western Ukrainian city Lviv, which became the main destination for those seeking evacuation within Ukraine, and the Rava Ruska border crossing point with Poland.
Ukrainians fleeing the war to Poland cram the Lviv train station on Feb. 28, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)Ukrainians board a train to Poland at the Lviv train station on Feb. 28, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)Lviv has become the main destination for Ukrainians who seek to evacuate from the war-hit eastern cities but stay in Ukraine. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)A family waits for their train at the Lviv train station on Feb. 27, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)Ukrainians fleeing the war eat the meals offered by volunteers near the Lviv train station on Feb. 27, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)A volunteer feeds refugees as they wait for to cross the border with Poland at the checkpoint in Rava Ruska, Ukraine on Feb. 26, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)Ukrainian refugees walk towards the Rava Ruska border checkpoint to cross into Poland on Feb. 26, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)People crossing the border by car wait in a 30-kilometer-long line near the border checkpoint near the Polish border at Rava Ruska, Ukraine on Feb. 26, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
