Russia seems to be preparing a significant offensive in Ukraine as it is moving troops toward key positions on the front, the Financial Times reported on May 13, citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, but said both leaders are ready to fly to Istanbul if Russian President Vladimir Putin chooses to attend the talks there.
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said that the new pontiff had a phone call with Zelensky on Monday, during which the pope expressed willingness to facilitate meetings between global leaders and vowed to support efforts for "a just and lasting peace."
In an interview with French broadcaster TF1 on May 13, Macron discussed new Russia sanctions and stationing French nuclear weapons in other European countries as a deterrent against Russia.
Performing their song "Bird of Pray," Ukrainian band Ziferblat passed the Eurovision semi-finals on May 13, qualifying Ukraine for the grand final on May 17.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a Russian delegation will be in Istanbul on May 15 for direct peace talks with Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov will likely represent Russia.
The move follows Ukraine's ratification of the minerals agreement, deepening U.S.-Ukraine economic ties and signaling expanded U.S. involvement in Ukraine's long-term recovery.
"Ukraine has initiated a coordinated campaign to vilify Hungary in order to undermine our initiative to hold a poll on (Kyiv's) EU membership," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
Air defense at work in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy Oblast in the evening of Jan. 17, 2024. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Sumy Oblast Military Administration/Telegram)
Ukrainian air defenses downed two missiles and three reconnaissance drones during a Russian attack overnight on April 20, reported Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk.
Russia launched a total of ten missiles and drones overnight,targeting Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, and Mykolaiv oblasts.
According to the Air Force's report, two out of two Kh-59/Kh-69 guided cruise missiles, two Orlan-10 and one Supercam drones were downed by Ukrainian forces.
Russian troops also launched three Iskander-K cruise missiles and two S-300/400 missiles, Oleshchuk said. The missiles were launched from Russia's Belgorod Oblast and the Black Sea respectively.
In the morning, Russian forces attacked Odesa Oblast with ballistic missiles from occupied Crimea, hitting an infrastructure facility, regional Governor Oleh Kiper said. No casualties were reported.
Another missile strike launched against Odesa Oblast on April 19 injured a civilian and damaged port infrastructure. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that two food export terminals were damaged, including one owned by a Singaporean company.
Stocks of air defense ammunition in Ukraine are low as the country awaits much-needed U.S. military aid, the funding of which will be voted on on April 20.
Andrii Kharuk
