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.
Ukrainian playwright and filmmaker Natalya Vorozhbit receives an award at the Kyiv Critics Week film festival for her directorial debut, war drama "Bad Roads," on Oct. 23, 2020. (Natalka Vorozhbyt/Facebook)
U.S. pay television network HBO has acquired the Ukrainian war drama “Bad Roads,” directed by acclaimed playwright and filmmaker Natalya Vorozhbit.
The film is now available in original Ukrainian and Russian languages, with English subtitles on HBO's streaming platform HBO Go, but only in Central Europe, according to the film's Dec. 16 announcement.
The original film consists of five short stories taking place in Ukraine’s war-torn Donbas as Russia’s war continues to destroy the area. However, HBO bought the shorter version of the movie that consists of four stories.
In this "international" edition, Vorozhbit cut a story about a Ukrainian medic who’s driving her lover’s body out from the warzone. According to Vorozhbit, the U.K.-based company Reason 8 that distributed "Bad Roads" asked to cut the fifth story because it's "too dark and too long."
The original version of "Bad Roads" is available on three Ukrainian streaming services Takflix, OLL.TV and SWEET.TV. Neither of HBO's streaming services is available in Ukraine.
“Bad Roads” has been well received internationally before HBO's acquisition. It premiered in September 2020 at the Venice Film Festival, receiving an award for “best innovative work.” In September, the Ukrainian Oscar Committee nominated Vorozhbit's drama to represent Ukraine at the 94th Academy Awards. The movie didn't eventually make it to the Oscar's shortlist.
“Bad Roads” is based on Vorozhbit's eponymous 2017 play that takes a close-up look at how the war affects people and the relationships between them. The director's inside knowledge about life in the Donbas comes from years of research for her screenplay for a 2017 war drama “Cyborgs” and her documentary theater work.
The movie was mostly financed by the Ukrainian Cultural Fund, a state organization that supports national culture and art. The movie’s production cost Hr 13.5 million ($500,000.)
Daryna Antoniuk is a tech reporter at the Kyiv Independent. She worked in the same role at the Kyiv Post and has focused on Ukrainian startups, investment and the fintech market. Antoniuk previously was a tech reporter for Forbes Ukraine. Her work has also been published at Sifted and The Record. She graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv with BA in journalism and communications.
