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 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.
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said that the new pontiff had a phone call with Zelensky on Monday, during which the pope expressed willingness to facilitate meetings between global leaders and vowed to support efforts for "a just and lasting peace."
In an interview with French broadcaster TF1 on May 13, Macron discussed new Russia sanctions and stationing French nuclear weapons in other European countries as a deterrent against Russia.
Performing their song "Bird of Pray," Ukrainian band Ziferblat passed the Eurovision semi-finals on May 13, qualifying Ukraine for the grand final on May 17.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a Russian delegation will be in Istanbul on May 15 for direct peace talks with Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov will likely represent Russia.
The move follows Ukraine's ratification of the minerals agreement, deepening U.S.-Ukraine economic ties and signaling expanded U.S. involvement in Ukraine's long-term recovery.
Illustrative image: Oil storage tanks are illuminated at night at the RN-Tuapsinsky refinery, operated by Rosneft Oil Co., in Tuapse, Russia, on March 22, 2020. (Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
A fire erupted at an oil depot in the town of Uzlovaya in Russia's Tula Oblast following a Ukrainian drone attack on the facility overnight on Jan. 18, regional Governor Dmitry Milyaev said.
Milyaev said that a fuel storage tank caught fire at "one of the enterprises in the region." Videosposted on social media and shared by residents appear to show a large fire at an oil depot in the town.
Milyaev claimed that there were not casualties as a result of the attack.
The Kyiv Independent cannot verify claims made by Russian officials. Ukraine's military has not yet commented on the attack.
No information on the extent of the damage was immediately available.
The attack comes amid an uptick in Ukraine’s drone operations targeting Russian energy infrastructure. Earlier in the night, Ukrainian drones reportedly attackedan oil depot in Russia's Kaluga Oblast, causing a large fire.
Tula Oblast, located south of Moscow, has regularly come under attack by Ukrainian drones as the country attempts to disrupt Russia's military supplychain. On Nov. 9, sources told the Kyiv Independent that Ukrainian drones struck the Aleksinsky chemical plant in the region, which produces gunpowder and ammunition for the Russian military.
Ukraine has targeted Russia's fossil fuel infrastructure as part of its strategy to undermine a key funding source for Russia's war effort. Drone strikes on refineries in Tuapse, Ilyich, and Novoshakhtinsk have led to reductions or suspensions in operations.
Overnight on Jan. 14, Ukraine carried out its "most massive" strike on Russian military and industrial facilities within a range of up to 1,100 kilometers (620 miles), according to the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. Targets included chemical plants, refineries, and ammunition depots at the Engels airbase, a source in Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent.
Amid an uptick in drone attacks, Russia's seaborne exports of petroleum products declined by 9.1% to 113.7 million metric tons in 2024, Reuters reported on Jan. 17.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
