The Kyiv Independent [unofficial]
Russia’s war against Ukraine
Ukrainian soldiers conduct a search operation in a damaged building, accompanied by a dog, as they inspect the aftermath of a recent Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia on May 7. The shelling caused damage to 15 apartment buildings and over 45 private homes across three districts. Energy infrastructure was also hit, and four civilians were injured. (Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration / Handout / Anadolu via Getty Images)
Kellogg says Ukraine proposed 30-km demilitarized buffer zone, admits Putin main obstacle to ceasefire. U.S. special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg described the proposal as a buffer zone with both sides pulling back 15 kilometers, creating a 30-kilometer area monitored by observers from third countries.
Ukrainian drone strikes hit two Russian defense plants, grounding flights in Moscow, security service says. The strikes, according to the SBU, triggered heightened alert measures across the Moscow Oblast, forcing Russian authorities to enact a security protocol that includes grounding civilian air traffic.
Vance says Russia ‘asking for too much‘ in talks to end war. “The Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict. We think they’re asking for too much,” U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on May 7, according to Politico.
Ukrainian drones reportedly hit Russian fiber optic plant in Saransk. “The fiber optic systems plant in Saransk was very seriously damaged after the strike,” Andrii Kovalenko, an official at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said on May 7.
Kremlin cites ‘dangerous neighbors‘ as reason for internet restrictions before Victory Day. “These are not disruptions, but restrictions for obvious reasons. We want the glorious Victory Day to be celebrated at the appropriate level,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
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Military communications in Moscow Oblast sabotaged amid Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, partisans claim. The Atesh partisan group claims it disabled communication at several Russian military facilities when it allegedly destroyed equipment at a transformer substation in the village of Mogiltsy in Russia’s Moscow Oblast.
‘No new instructions‘ — Putin’s unilateral Victory Day ceasefire takes effect May 8, Kremlin says. The so-called “humanitarian” truce will run from midnight on May 8 to midnight on May 11.
Wave of drones target Moscow again, prompting further airport closures. The repeated drone activity prompted renewed temporary airport closures across the region.
Ukrainian drone strikes on Moscow disrupt air travel for 60,000 passengers in Russia. The disruption comes days before Russia’s Victory Day parade on May 9, one of the country’s largest public events and a key propaganda tool for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drone strikes hit two Russian defense plants, grounding flights in Moscow, security service says
Long-range drones operated by Ukraine’s Security Service struck two key Russian defense industry plants, igniting fires and prompting mass flight disruptions in the Moscow region, sources within the SBU told the Kyiv Independent on May 7.
Photo: SBU
‘She fed all the birds, dogs, and cats’ — 64-year-old animal rescue volunteer and son killed in Russian attack on Kyiv
The attack on the Ukrainian capital was yet another in a series of devastating attacks on civilians over recent weeks, a damning indictment of the ongoing, U.S.-led effort to bring about an end to Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Photo: Danylo Antoniuk/The Kyiv Independent
Who’s attending Moscow’s Victory Day parade? The Kremlin has published a guest list ahead of May 9
Russia’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9, which mark the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II, are one of the country’s biggest public events of the year.
Photo: Pavel Byrkin / Sputnik / AFP via Getty Images
Theater, drag shows, and art studios — Kharkiv’s cultural scene thrives, even in wartime
Each cultural event that takes place in this eastern Ukrainian city is more than just artistic expression — it is a poignant reminder of what Ukraine stands to lose in the war.
Photo: Amadeusz Swierk / The Kyiv Independent
Human cost of Russia’s war
14 killed, 54 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day. Russia launched 187 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones and five Iskander-M ballistic missiles, according to Ukraine’s Air Force.
Two volunteers die in Ukraine mine-clearing incident, including British aid worker Chris Garrett. Garrett, 42, from the Isle of Man, was widely known for his high-risk volunteer work removing mines and unexploded ordnance left behind by Russian forces.
How Putin weaponized WW2 and Victory Day, historian explains
International response
EU eyes new sanctions over Russian hybrid threats, chemical weapons use in Ukraine, Reuters reports. EU ambassadors began talks this week on a 17th sanctions package that targets Russia’s military-industrial complex, Moscow’s shadow shipping fleet, and related support networks.
Lithuania plans to build naval drones with Ukraine in joint effort. Under a “1+1” model, Lithuania would fund the production of two drones, keeping one for its own defense and sending the other to Ukraine.
In other news
Putin, Xi to discuss delayed ‘Power of Siberia 2′ pipeline during Victory Day celebrations, Bloomberg reports. Construction of the pipeline was scheduled to begin in 2024, but has been plagued with construction issues and diplomatic tussles.
German Chancellor Merz plans visit to Ukraine. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the trip is currently being coordinated and emphasized that the European Union must do “everything possible” to help secure a lasting cessation of hostilities beyond the upcoming weekend.
Azeri and Laotian leaders to skip Russia’s Victory Day parade, Kremlin says. Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and Laotian leader Thongloun Sisoulith will not attend Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9.
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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Chris York, Tymur Zadorozhnyy, Lili Bivings, Anna Fratsyvir, Olena Goncharova, and Volodymyr Ivanyshyn.
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