"If the Russians are using this level of specialists in urban combat, they are probably facing some difficulties," Ivan Petrychak, spokesperson for the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, said.
Previously, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused the Russian intelligence services of orchestrating a May 2024 arson attack on the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw.
"Perhaps in some areas, the intensity decreased slightly to create an image of compliance with their own announcement. But in reality, (Russia) continued attacks every day, using all available weapons — including aircraft to drop guided bombs on Ukraine," Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, said.
Beijing supports all efforts toward achieving peace in Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on May 12 when asked about Kyiv and Europe's proposal for a 30-day truce.
"I invited His Holiness to make an apostolic visit to Ukraine. Such a visit would bring real hope to all believers and to all our people," Zelensky said.
Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak voiced doubt about leading negotiations with anyone from Russia except President Vladimir Putin, implying only the Russian leader can make real decisions.
This includes at least seven people injured in drone attacks overnight on May 12, a date from which Kyiv and its allies put forward a demand for a 30-day unconditional truce, a step that Moscow continues to reject.
"When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs," the Elysee Palace reacted to a fake story pushed by Russia.
The comments came after Trump urged Ukraine to agree to direct negotiations with Russia, which has invited Kyiv to peace talks in Istanbul on May 15, without first agreeing to halt military operations.
A Russian drone hit a civilian freight train in Donetsk Oblast on May 12 and injured its driver, Ukrainian Railways said amid Kyiv's calls for a ceasefire.
Moscow and Hanoi agreed to negotiate and sign agreements to construct nuclear power plants in Vietnam, the two countries said in a joint statement on May 11.
The sanctions appear to be in response to Russia's rejection of a 30-day ceasefire that the U.K., alongside Ukraine, France, Germany, and Poland, demanded during a visit to Kyiv on May 10.
The Romanian port of Constanta on Aug. 22, 2023. (Andreea Campeanu/Getty Images)
The European Commission approved on Jan. 11 a 126 million euro ($138 million) fund to help strengthen Romanian port infrastructure and reduce congestion caused by increased Ukrainian exports.
Romania plays a crucial role in Ukrainian exports amid Russia's threats to Black Sea maritime transport, shipping out almost 60% of Ukraine's produce. Romanian and Ukrainian officials have been working to expand the capacity of Romania's shipping infrastructure on the Danube River and Black Sea.
The Danube's importance as a shipping route rose sharply following Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea grain deal in July.
The fund will be dispersed in grants of up to 10 million euros for companies willing to invest in increasing their storage capacity in the region.
The project will help bolster the EU's "Solidarity Lanes" initiative, which seeks to support Ukraine's export capacity harmed by Russian aggression in the Black Sea.
"This 126 million euro scheme will allow Romania to reduce bottlenecks created by the sudden surge in goods arriving in the Danube and Black Sea coast ports. The aid will support port operators to process and store queuing goods, thereby reducing the blockade caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine," said Margrethe Vestager, the European Commissioner for Competition.
The European Commission said the aid is justified because it would be difficult to get private investment into the project due to risks and uncertainty created by the war.
It is also unclear what the future of Ukrainian exports through Romania will be if Ukraine's Black Sea ports reopen to their pre-war capacity.
Martin Fornusek
