More than 1,000 Russian government entities and 1,200 private companies are involved in the economy of occupied Mariupol, a major southeastern city occupied by Russia after it invaded Ukraine in 2022, according to a research paper published on May 14.
The measures target almost 200 ships of Russia's "shadow fleet," 30 companies involved in sanctions evasion, 75 sanctions on entities and individuals linked to the Russian military-industrial complex, and more.
The government has approved "reform roadmaps in the rule of law, public administration, and democratic institutions, as well as Ukraine’s negotiation position," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
The statement did not name the ex-official by name, but details of the case indicate it relates to Oleh Hladkovsky, a former deputy secretary of Ukraine's top security body who has been wanted since mid-April.
Brazilian President Lula da Silva claimed that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had appealed to his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, to ask Putin if he was willing to conclude a peace agreement.
"Trump needs to believe that Putin actually lies," Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv. "And we should do our part. Sensibly approach this issue, to show that it’s not us that is slowing down the process."
The EU plans to significantly increase tariffs on Ukrainian goods after the current duty-free deal lapses on June 6, the Financial Times reported on May 14, citing undisclosed diplomatic sources.
The blockade ended at 10:30 p.m. local time. Truck traffic in both directions is now moving as usual, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard's statement.
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.
Cyclist on the street of Kharkiv, Ukraine, on April 21, 2024, amid a blackout due to the Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. (Serhii Korovayny/The Kyiv Independent)
Ukraine may face "difficulties with electricity supply in the summer" and should "prepare for a difficult winter" due to Russia's attacks on energy infrastructure, Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said in a statement on May 13.
Since the start of 2024, Russia has launched five large-scale attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Russia carried out the last large-scale attack overnight on May 8, targeting critical infrastructure in central and western regions. An attack in April destroyed the Trypillia Thermal Power Plant, the main electricity supplier to Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Cherkasy oblasts.
While Ukraine has so far avoided nationwide power cuts, blackout schedules have been introduced to cities including Kharkiv, and industrial and commercial energy users have faced restrictions.
The Energy Ministry said it "urges consumers to consume electricity sparingly in view of significant losses of generating capacity," as Ukraine's energy system has "suffered the most damage since the beginning of the full-scale war with Russia."
"To date, we have already lost about 8 gigawatts of capacity in the system. If this had happened in any other country, there would have been a total blackout," Halushchenko said.
Though the Energy Ministry is working on fixing the situation, the situation in the winter will be "difficult to predict," as the impact on future attacks is not yet known.
It is already obvious, however, that "the situation will be difficult," Halushchenko said.
There may be issues with electricity supply in the summer, but renewable energy sources, such as solar power, can help to balance the system, Halushchenko said.
Halushchenko said on May 5 that Russian strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure have cost the state over $1 billion in damage.
Elsa Court
