A Russian drone hit a high-rise residential building in Ukraine's second-largest city, authorities said, injuring at least five people and straining a three-day cease-fire timed for Victory Day celebrations.

The war in Iran and the wider Middle East appeared to be in a holding pattern on May 9 as Washington awaited Iran’s response to its latest peace proposal but, while Tehran has not yet offered a formal reply, the regime has maintained its belligerent language toward the US.

Russian forces marched in Moscow's Red Square during May 9 Victory Day events, commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. One day earlier, US President Donald Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a three-day cease-fire starting on May 9.

Iran blamed the United States for a recent escalation of skirmishes in the Persian Gulf as Washington awaits a response from Tehran over the latest proposal to end their war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he thought the conflict with Ukraine is "coming to an end," but stressed that he would meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy only once a final peace deal has been agreed.

In an online post, US President Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a three-day cease-fire deal starting on May 9. The date coincides with Victory Day celebrations in Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said there would be no attacks on the site of the celebrations.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to steady ties with Italy and the Vatican during a visit to Rome shaped by disputes over Iran, NATO, and migration. He also defended Washington’s military posture in the Middle East and warned Tehran against trying to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz.

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Leonid and Valentyna Stoyanov, two veterinarians in Odesa, took in as many injured and abandoned animals as they could. Soon, they were making regular trips to the front lines to rescue animals affected by the war.

Sources in the Pakistani Taliban told RFE/RL that the group’s leadership has been ordered to relocate from the Afghan capital, Kabul, where it is allegedly based.

US President Donald Trump announced a three-day cease-fire in the war between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides quickly confirming they had agreed to the truce along with a major prisoner swap.

Security is tight as Moscow prepares for the May 9 Victory Day parade on Red Square, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. For the first time in nearly 20 years, the event will be held without military hardware. Mobile Internet restrictions are already in effect across the Russian capital.

The United States sees energy security in the Western Balkans as a national security priority and is stepping up efforts to help the region reduce its dependence on Russian supplies, Joshua Volz, a special envoy for energy integration at the U.S. Department of Energy, told RFE/RL.