Peter Szijjarto's announcement came after Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) allegedly dismantled a Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Zakarpattia Oblast.
The approval marks a key step in international efforts to hold Moscow accountable for what is considered the gravest violation of international law committed against Ukraine.
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.
A member of the Ukrainian State Border Guard stands watch at the border crossing between Ukraine and Belarus on Feb. 13, 2022, in Vilcha, Kyiv Oblast. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
Border guards and Ukrainian troops in Sumy Oblast stopped three groups of Russian saboteurs from advancing, Ukraine's State Border Guard Service reported on March 17.
The Ukrainian forces opened fire on the groups, and "in all three cases, the enemy's plans were foiled, the enemy retreated," the State Border Guard Service said on Telegram.
Sumy Oblast borders the Russian oblasts of Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod. Russian forces retreated from Sumy Oblast in April 2022 but Russia continues to attack the region on a daily basis.
The attacks on Sumy Oblast have recently intensified, with Russian forces firing 66 times at the region on March 16 alone, according to the local authorities. Russian forces use aviation, drones, artillery, mortars, and drones to attack.
Additional reserve forces were moved forward to strengthen the direction where Russian forces were approaching, the border service said.
Russia's Kursk and Belgorod oblasts have recently experienced attacks from anti-Kremlin militia. On the morning of March 12, several anti-Kremlin armed groups crossed the border into Russia from Ukraine to conduct combat operations, according to the groups.
According to Ukraine's military intelligence spokesperson Andrii Yusov, the units are comprised of Russian citizens acting as part of Ukraine’s "security and defense forces."
The Russian Volunteer Corps claimed to have captured 25 Russian soldiers during their incursions into Kursk and Belgorod oblasts.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that it “thwarted Kyiv’s attempt to make a breakthrough into the Russian border territory in the Belgorod and Kursk oblasts,” adding that the incursion took place “simultaneously in three directions.”
The border guard earlier reported repelling a saboteur group in Sumy Oblast on March 7.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Kateryna Hodunova
