Putin accused the West of having a’real war’ against Russia on Victory Day
Vladimir Zelenskyy in Helsinki, the Netherlands, and Ukraine: the second year of World War II for the Slovak Republic of Ukraine
On Tuesday, the day is celebrated as Victory Day, in remembrance of the role played by the Soviet Union in World War II. Putin usually attends a military parade in Moscow. The day has taken on new symbolism with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Europe Day is intended to celebrate peace on the Continent but is also marked for a second year with war in Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plans to visit Kyiv to commemorate the day.
On Thursday, associates of Russia governing occupied territories of easternUkraine in Luhansk and Donetsk will mark the anniversary of the declaration of independence by the self-proclaimed “republics” of Ukraine.
President Zelenskyy visited Finland and the Netherlands. In Helsinki, he took part in a Nordic-Ukrainian summit with leaders of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. He went to the Netherlands to meet with the Dutch prime minister and he called for a special tribunal to try Russian leaders.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2023/05/08/1173353825/russia-ukraine-war-news-may-8
The U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom for the Eurovision Song Contest – Putin’s Killing Threat and the Associated Ukremlin Attack
The Eurovision Song Contest finale is on Saturday. It’s supposed to take place in the country of the previous winning group — but that was Ukraine, and organizers instead chose to hold the event in Liverpool, England. Kalush Orchestra kicked off the party last week.
Delegates from Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations could be meeting this week to discuss extending the deal allowing grain and other farm goods to ship from Black Sea ports.
Russia said it shot down two drones over the Kremlin to stop a Ukrainian attempt to kill Putin. Ukraine’s government denied it. Moscow later accused Washington of masterminding the alleged attack, which the United States denied.
The Ukrainian authorities say they shot down 23 of 25 missiles after Russia launched a wave of airstrikes against their capital.
The president’s wife, Olena Zelenska, and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal attended the coronation of King Charles III, while President Zelenskyy and other officials sent congratulations and thanks for the United Kingdom’s strong support during the war. Zelenska met with the U.S. first lady who said that she and Zelenska stood with Ukranian people. Russian leaders did not get invited to the event.
State of Ukraine: Russian-American Warfare in the Cold Cold War and the “Immortal Regime” at the Kremlin
A Moscow official says more than 1,600 people were evacuated from the vicinity of a Ukrainian nuclear power plant. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said the situation at the plant is “increasingly unpredictable and potentially dangerous” as shelling in the region continues.
The White House estimated more than 20,000 Russian troops were killed and 80,000 were wounded in Ukraine since December, according to John Kirby, a National Security Council spokesperson. He did not cite a recent estimate for Ukrainian troop losses. NPR could not verify casualty figures for either side. In terms of noncombatants, U.N. human rights workers have been able to verify more than 8,000 civilians killed since the large-scale invasion over a year ago, but they believe the full toll is considerably higher.
You can read past recaps here. For context and more in-depth stories, you can find more of NPR’s coverage here. Also, listen and subscribe to NPR’s State of Ukraine podcast for updates throughout the day.
Russian President Vladimir Putin assailed the West for unleashing a “real war” against Russia, as the Kremlin leader sought to link events in Ukraine with ceremonies marking the 78th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany.
Putin compared the soviet victory in 1945 to the battles that Russian forces are having in Ukranian.
“Today, the security of our country depends on you,” Putin said in remarks directed at those fighting in Ukraine. “The future of our statehood and our people depends on you.”
Security was a major concern, with the parade coming just days after two drones exploded inside the Kremlin walls. Moscow claimed it as an “assassination attempt” on President Putin.
The Kremlin also canceled the “Immortal Regiment,” a nationwide march in which Russians honor the more than 20 million Soviets who died in the war by marching with pictures of deceased relatives.
