According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), this marks the first time Ukrainian authorities have exposed a Hungarian military intelligence network conducting activities harmful to Ukraine.
Delegations from 35 countries and the Council of Europe gathered in Lviv as EU officials prepare to approve both new defense aid and steps toward establishing a tribunal for Russian leadership.
The ruling marks a significant victory for RFE/RL amid growing concerns about U.S. funding cuts to independent media countering Russian disinformation.
U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected the new pope and leader of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday, taking the name Pope Leo XIV, a senior cardinal announced on May 8 to crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square, according to Vatican News.
George Simion, leader of Romania's far-right AUR party, who won the first round of the presidential election with nearly 40% of the vote, reiterated that if elected, he would oppose any further assistance to Ukraine and shift Romania’s focus inward.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed their countries' relationship on May 8, vowing to increase cooperation in all areas, including military ties.
"There is Turkey, which maintains channels of communication. And then, above all, there is the People's Republic of China, which, more than anyone else, has the means to make (Russian President Vladimir) Putin come to the negotiating table and soften his demands," Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on May 8.
The United States will be ready to "walk away" from the negotiating table if it does not see Russia making progress in negotiation to end the war, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Fox News on May 8.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico arrived in Moscow on May 9 to celebrate Victory Day, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
US President Donald Trump on May 8 called for a "30-day unconditional ceasefire" between Ukraine and Russia. Writing on Truth Social, Trump expressed his hope for "an acceptable ceasefire," with both countries "held accountable for respecting the sanctity of... direct negotiations."
President Volodymyr Zelensky had a "constructive" phone call with United States President Donald Trump on May 8, discussing the war, continued pressure on Russia, and a potential ceasefire.
The survey, conducted between April 24 and May 4, shows that 56.9% of respondents would not be willing to compromise on either territorial integrity or Ukraine’s pro-Western direction in any potential talks with Moscow.
Photo for illustrative purposes. A Russian A-50 airplane and Su-27 fighter jets fly over the Kremlin near Red Square in Moscow on May 6, 2010. (Alexey Sazonov/AFP via Getty Images)
Russia's loss of a Beriev A-50 spy aircraft recently downed by Ukraine won't dramatically affect the distribution of forces in the Ukrainian sky but will likely force Russia's aviation "to behave more cautiously," Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat told Ukrainska Pravda on Jan. 16.
A day before, Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi confirmed that the Ukrainian Air Force had destroyed a Russian A-50 military observation plane and an Ilyushin Il-22 plane that operates as an airborne command post.
According to the Air Force, the Il-22 managed to land in Russia after it was hit but can not be repaired.
Russia's A-50 aircraft provides several critical functions for the ongoing war in Ukraine, such as detecting air defense systems, guided missiles, and coordinating targets for Russian fighter jets. Russia only possesses nine of these planes.
It is unclear how the planes were brought down, but Ukraine received several pieces of advanced air defense systems in 2023, including Patriots from the U.S., which some analysts have alleged could have been responsible.
"The Air Force can now deliver such effective strikes, so the aggressor will probably behave more cautiously. Of course, this is a serious blow to Russian aviation, and most importantly, to the image of the Russian regime," Ihnat said in a comment for Ukrainska Pravda media outlet.
"The loss of such a plane as the A-50 probably happened for the first time in history. At the same time, Russia still has several long-range radar detection aircraft in working order, and the dictator is not going to stop."
Ukraine has destroyed at least seven Russian planes since the beginning of December, a landmark military achievement for the country and a significant blow to Russia.
The sharp uptick in downing planes in recent weeks emerges as a bright spot for Ukraine amid a lack of progress on the battlefield.
Nate Ostiller
