Under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's rule, millions of Ukrainians died during the Holodomor, a man-made famine in 1932–1933. The dictator also oversaw mass deportations, purges of Ukrainian intellectuals and leaders, and the suppression of the Ukrainian language and culture.
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 national flag of the Republic of Ghana in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Nov. 2, 2023. (Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The surviving members of a group of 14 men from Ghana who were lured into the Russian military to fight against Ukraine have appealed for help from Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast, Ghanaian news outlet TV3 reported on Sept. 19.
According to TV3, the men arrived in Russia on Aug. 6 and were taken to Kostroma, a city in western Russia located 300 kilometers (186 miles) northeast of Moscow.
Another man from Ghana was reportedly responsible for luring the group, promising them well-paid jobs in Russia. The men said they paid for their own plane tickets and visas and were told they would get a job working in security, but would first undergo training from the military.
The men said they then signed a contract in Russian, a language none of the men speak, and their passports were later confiscated.
Three men from the group told TV3 that they are being held against their will in Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast and that they believe they may be the only surviving members of the original group of 14.
Other members of the group were allegedly taken away to fight and one man escaped, but his whereabouts are unknown.
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"We are presently in Ukraine...we have no fighting experience," one man told TV3. "We are pleading, we want to return home."
The families of the 14 men have appealed to the Ghanian Police Headquarters for help, TV3 journalist Godwin Asediba posted on X on Sept. 20.
Similar cases of foreigners being lured into the Russian army have been reported in India, Egypt, Nepal, and Cuba, despite efforts from these countries to clamp down on the smuggling rings and recruitment schemes that drive men to Russia.
Bloomberg reported in June that Russia was coercing African students and migrants to fight by threatening to take away their visas if they did not agree to join the military.
Dinara Khalilova
