The convictions mark a significant development in Britain's efforts to counter Russian intelligence operations amid heightened tensions stemming from Moscow's war against Ukraine and repeated Kremlin threats toward Kyiv's allies.
According to the Verkhovna Rada's website, Ukraine completed the ratification of the U.S.-Ukraine minerals agreement on May 12. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the deal.
"I myself have heard relatives talking: our village is being attacked, let's roll the car out of the garage, maybe they will shell it — at least we will get money. The car is old, we can't sell it," Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
The new tranche brings total recent EU defense support for Ukraine to 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion), marking a significant expansion of European efforts to boost Kyiv's defense industry.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
Both men face charges related to terrorism and espionage. Daniil B. was detained in Lithuania, where he is in temporary custody, while Oleksandr V. remains at large in Russia.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies discussed tougher sanctions against Russia's banking sector, central bank, and energy industry.
"We are ready for all options. But of course, we are separately waiting for a response on the ceasefire," a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Kyiv Independent.
The EU plans to unveil on May 14 its next package of sanctions imposed against Russia over its aggression against Ukraine, an EU official told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity.
Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova at a press conference in Prague on Sept. 9, 2022. (Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Czechia is running low on military equipment it can send to Ukraine from its own stockpiles, Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said on local television Nov. 26, according to Czech outlet CTK.
Cernochova said her country would compensate for the low supply by providing commercial licenses to private companies.
"There is not much military equipment that we can send to Ukraine," Cernochova said.
"On the other hand, we will try to compensate for the impossibility of supplying arms from our stocks, because we do not want to jeopardize our defense capability, with export licenses, which we give to private companies."
According to Cernochova, these contracts with private firms will allow Czechia to continue providing military aid to Ukraine. She said that significant amounts of equipment have already been provided through private companies and donors.
Cernochova also referenced the recent joint Czech-Danish initiative to supply Ukraine with armored vehicles and other weapons produced in Czechia and financed by Denmark.
"Of course, some countries that are helping Russia are equipping Russia with their equipment, just as we are equipping Ukraine. It is not easy to catch up and overtake the other side in the arms race, and it may mean for Ukraine that some things are not going as they had planned in advance," Chernokhova said.
The Czech Defense Ministry has published a list of military equipment it has provided to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. Shipments include aircraft, tanks, combat vehicles, rocket launchers, small arms, and ammunition.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
Roman Steblivskyi
