Ukraine war latest: US WWII veterans will attend Russia's Victory Day parade, Kremlin says

Russian journalist imprisoned for criticising war makes arduous escape to Paris

Facing a 10-year prison sentence for speaking out against the war, Ekaterina Barabash was kept under house arrest in Moscow.

After disappearing on 21 April - and fears she may have died - she resurfaced yesterday in the French capital, where she detailed her escape from Russia.

With the help of Reporters Without Borders, also known by its French acronym of RSF, she tore off her electronic tag and navigated more than 2,800km using "clandestine routes" to evade surveillance.

"Her escape was one of the most perilous operations RSF has been involved in since Russia's draconian laws of March 2022," said the group's director, Thibaut Bruttin, referring to legislation outlawing any public expression about the war going against the official government narrative.

"At one point, we thought she might be dead."

'There is only war'

In her first remarks since finding freedom, Barabash, 63, said: "There is no culture in Russia… there is no politics… it's only war."

She added the very concept of a "Russian journalist" no longer made sense, saying it cannot exist "under totalitarianism".

The Facebook posts that landed her in trouble were written between 2022 and 2023, as they railed against Russia's actions in Ukraine.

One post read: "So you (expletive) bombed the country, razed entire cities to the ground, killed a hundred children, shot civilians for no reason, blockaded Mariupol, deprived millions of people of a normal life and forced them to leave for foreign countries? All for the sake of friendship with Ukraine?"

Russian authorities arrested her upon her return from the Berlinale film festival in February.

She was charged with spreading "false information" and branded a "foreign agent".

Barabash was then put under house arrest, until she disappeared last month.

The escape

Barabash said she crossed several borders and used covert channels orchestrated by RSF.

She spent two weeks in hiding and reached France on 26 April, her birthday.

The most difficult part was knowing she'd be leaving her 96-year-old mother behind.

"I just understood that I'd never see her," she said, adding they both decided not seeing her while being free was better than a Russian prison.

Barabash's son and grandson remain in Kyiv, but she hasn't been able to see them since the war started because "I have a Russian passport", she said.

Kremlin official: US WW2 veterans to attend Victory Day parade

We've had some new lines come in around Moscow's Victory Day celebrations on Thursday.

The Kremlin's foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov has just said there will be several US veterans attending the parade in the Russian capital.

It's not clear, however, if there will be an official representative, he added.

They'll be joined by 29 leaders, including China's Xi Jinping and Brazil's Lula.

North Korea will be represented at the ambassadorial level, he said, but they will have no involvement in the parade itself.

Russia and Ukraine swap 205 prisoners of war each, Moscow says

In the latest exchange, 205 prisoners of war have been returned from Russia and Ukraine, according to Moscow.

The Kremlin's Ministry of Defence said the United Arab Emirates helped to mediate the swap, with Russian prisoners now in Belarus for medical and psychological support.

"On May 6, as a result of the negotiation process, 205 Russian servicemen were returned from the territory controlled by the [Kyiv] regime," the Russian MoD said in a post on messaging app Telegram.

"In exchange, 205 prisoners of war of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were transferred."

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also confirmed 205 prisoners of war are being brought back to Ukraine.

Don't attend Russia's Victory Day parade, Ukraine warns

Kyiv has urged countries not to send any troops to take part in a military parade marking 80 years since victory over the Nazis.

Russia's annual Victory Day celebrations are due on 9 May, with Chinese President Xi Jinping among the expected guests.

It's a hugely important occasion in Russia - as we explained at 9.29 - but there are fears Ukraine may attack the capital during events.

Vladimir Putin has declared a ceasefire between 8-10 May, but Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered no assurance to foreign delegations planning to attend.

And Ukraine's foreign ministry now says: "The participation of foreign military personnel in this event is unacceptable and will be regarded by Ukraine as an outrage to the memory of the victory over Nazism."

Cardinals call for permanent ceasefire in Ukraine

Cardinals gathered in Rome to select a new pope have put out a statement referring to the lack of progress in ending the war in Ukraine.

Here's what they have said:

"We Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, gathered in General Congregation before the beginning of the Conclave, having noted with regret that no progress has been made in promoting the peace processes in Ukraine, the Middle East and in many other parts of the world, and that attacks have intensified, especially against the civilian population, we make a heartfelt appeal to all parties involved to reach a permanent ceasefire as soon as possible and to negotiate, without preconditions or further delay, the peace long desired by the populations involved and by the entire world. 

"We invite all the faithful to intensify their prayer to the Lord for a just and lasting peace."

At least five killed in Russian attacks, officials say

Ukraine's air force has said 136 drones were launched from Russia overnight and this morning.

As of around 8.30am today (UK time), Ukraine had shot down 54 drones right across the country, with another 70 "lost".

Local governors have reported casualties around Ukraine.

Three were killed in Donetsk and another 16 injured, according to Vadym Filashkin.

In Kharkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov said 11 people were injured, including four in the city of the same name.

Oleksandr Prokudin said one person was killed in Kherson region and three injured.

Three women in Dnipropetrovsk were injured, according to Sehii Lysak, while Oleh Kiper said one was killed in Odesa.

Putin discusses US-Iran talks with Pezeshkian

Russia is ready to facilitate a "fair agreement" between the US and Iran, the Kremlin has said.

Vladimir Putin had a call with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian today, during which they discussed talks over a possible nuclear deal between Washington and Tehran.

They also discussed bilateral relations, the Kremlin added, including the development of major energy projects.

For context: Donald Trump ditched a 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and six world powers during his first term in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran. 

Iran has since far exceeded the 2015 agreement's curbs on its uranium enrichment, and European countries share Washington's concern Tehran could seek an atomic bomb.

Iran has said its programme is peaceful.

-SKY NEWS