Although Moscow declared on April 28 that it would halt all military actions from May 8 to midnight on May 11 to mark Victory Day, strikes on civilian areas have continued.
Under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's rule, millions of Ukrainians died during the Holodomor, a man-made famine in 1932–1933. The dictator also oversaw mass deportations, purges of Ukrainian intellectuals and leaders, and the suppression of the Ukrainian language and culture.
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 Russian company Tatneft at work in an oil field in Tatarstan on June 4, 2023. (Alexander Manzyuk / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Russia's oil drilling industry is on track to set record highs for the second year in a row, raising doubts on the ability of Western sanctions to curtail profits from the lucrative sector, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 10.
Russian oil drilling was likely to surpass 30,000 kilometers by the end of 2023, reaching a total not seen since the Soviet Union. Domestic oil production is one of the key pillars of Russia's economy, helping funnel money into the Kremlin's war machine. Russia is the third largest producer of oil in the world, after the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.
Western sanctions have sought to curb Russia's oil production capabilities, but they have remained resilient, in part because many of the local subsidiaries remained in Russia even after international companies left.
Many of the experienced local workers and managers were able to continue drilling unimpeded, and only around 15% of the oil drilling industry relies on technology from countries Russia considers to be "unfriendly."
At the same time, analysts told Bloomberg that the record-high drilling does not necessarily equate to increased output.
"The main reason for the growth in Russia’s drilling is the need to launch new wells" because "the currently producing fields are depleting," a Russian industry analyst told Bloomberg.
There are also other indications that sanctions may still come to bite the industry in the future.
Sanctions preventing the import of certain components may force Russia to build simpler wells, increasing the cost of production, and over time, making the wells less profitable.
Higher levels of inefficiency may cause as much as 20% of Russia's oil output to be unprofitable to extract in the future, the analyst estimated.
Nate Ostiller is a former News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. He works on special projects as a researcher and writer for The Red Line Podcast, covering Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and focused primarily on digital misinformation, memory politics, and ethnic conflict. Nate has a Master’s degree in Russian and Eurasian Studies from the University of Glasgow, and spent two years studying abroad at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine. Originally from the USA, he is currently based in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Katie Marie Davies
