The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce called for "concrete proposals from both sides" in order for Washington to "move forward" in peace negotiations.
"If they speak to each other in Russian, he doesn't know what they are saying," one Western official told NBC News. Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, called Witkoff's approach "a very bad idea."
Tougher sanctions "should be applied to (Russia's) banking and energy sectors, targeting fossil fuels, oil, and the shadow fleet," the leaders of Ukraine, the U.K., France, Germany, and Poland said in a joint statement.
"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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky hands the "Hero City of Ukraine" award to Okhtyrka Mayor Pavlo Kuzmenko in northeastern Sumy Oblast on March 28, 2023. (Ukraine's Presidential Office)
President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the city of Okhtyrka in northeastern Sumy Oblast on March 28, marking the one-year anniversary of its liberation by the Ukrainian military.
Zelensky handed the "Hero City of Ukraine" award to Mayor Pavlo Kuzmenko and other local officials in Okhtyrka, one of the first Ukrainian cities invaded by Russian troops in February last year.
According to President's Office, Zelensky also awarded Ukrainian soldiers who took part in defending the city against the Russian invasion.
"In Sumy Oblast, in our Okhtyrka, we honor the true Cossack courage and indomitability of our people, our heroes, all Ukrainian men and women," the president told the residents.
"Ukrainians will live here, on their land, in their cities and villages, which we have to rebuild after the war. And I'm sure it will definitely happen."
Okhtyrka residents listen to President Volodymyr Zelensky's address marking the one-year anniversary of the city's liberation by the Ukrainian military, Sumy Oblast, March 28, 2023. (Ukraine's Presidential Office)
President Volodymyr Zelensky during his visit to Sumy Oblast's city of Okhtyrka on March 28, 2023. (Ukraine's Presidential Office)
President Volodymyr Zelensky poses for a photo during his visit to Sumy Oblast's city of Okhtyrka on March 28, 2023. (Ukraine's Presidential Office)
President Volodymyr Zelensky hands a state award to a Ukrainian serviceman during his visit to Sumy Oblast's city of Okhtyrka on March 28, 2023. (Ukraine's Presidential Office)
Okhtyrka, a small city with a pre-war population of about 46,000 people, is located about 80 kilometers south of the regional capital Sumy and nearly 50 kilometers from the Russian-Ukrainian border.
Having rich history rooted in Cossacks' heritage, Okhtyrka was heavily damaged by Moscow's all-out war and occupied by Russian troops for over a month.
During his visit, Zelensky also met with members of Ukraine's State Border Guard Service, surveyed checkpoints, and received a briefing on measures taken to secure the border between Sumy Oblast and Russia.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Thaisa Semenova
