Russia-Ukraine Cease-Fire Expires; Fighting Continues

A three-day cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine that began on May 9 expired on May 11 with fighting reported along the front line throughout the period, according to Defense News. Ukrainian officials said Russian drones, guided bombs and missiles struck targets as the truce ended, with at least 12 civilians reported killed.

The U.S.-mediated pause had no independent oversight mechanism or accompanying political agreement on underlying issues.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on May 13 that “nothing is happening” in U.S. talks on Ukraine and that the peace process remains stuck. His remarks were made ahead of a meeting between leaders of the Bucharest Nine countries and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Ukraine’s military intelligence separately warned of an impending combined Russian strike package involving drones, cruise missiles and ballistic weapons intended to saturate air defenses.

Madhav Joshi, a professor at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame who has analyzed 42 comprehensive peace agreements signed between 1989 and 2018, stated that successful processes have averaged 1,570 days of technical work.

Joshi said the latest cease-fire lacked the “hooks” typically present in agreements that lead to lasting settlements.

A poll conducted April 20-27 by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 54 percent of Ukrainians in government-controlled territory viewed government corruption as a bigger threat to the country’s development than Russian military aggression, while 39 percent identified Russia as the greater threat.

Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s former chief of staff, was named a suspect in a money-laundering scheme by two Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies, according to the BBC. New tapes released this week appear to show associates close to Zelensky influencing defense contract decisions and discussing luxury properties funded by kickbacks on energy and fortification contracts, where bribes reportedly equaled 10 to 15 percent of contract value.

Trust in Zelensky fell to 58 percent from 62 percent the previous month, with 20 percent of those who distrust him citing corruption as the reason. Despite the scandals, 63 percent of respondents still expect Ukraine to become a prosperous EU member within ten years.

Separately, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said more than 100 companies are training over 80 AI models to detect and intercept aerial targets. President Zelensky met with Palantir CEO Alex Karp on Tuesday to expand artificial intelligence cooperation in the war effort.

India’s government imposed a 10 percent basic customs duty on gold and silver plus a 5 percent agriculture infrastructure and development cess. The measures aim to reduce demand in the world’s second-largest bullion market and stem capital outflows as the rupee has fallen more than 6 percent in 2026, largely after the Iran conflict began.

It is on pace to reach 100 to the U.S. dollar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a rare weekend appeal asking citizens to avoid gold purchases and non-essential foreign travel to support the currency. India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, has experienced foreign-exchange pressures from higher energy costs linked to Persian Gulf disruptions.

Gold is the country’s second-largest import after crude oil. Last year India imported 710 tons of gold to meet nearly all its demand.