Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies discussed tougher sanctions against Russia's banking sector, central bank, and energy industry.
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.
Polish truckers plan to restrict freight traffic at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint on the Ukrainian border, Ukraine's State Border Guard said on May 12.
"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.
Schoolchildren continue their education in a classroom created on the upper floor of a metro station amid Russia's war against Ukraine in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Sept. 15, 2023. (Ozge Elif Kizil/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The Education Ministry approved the projects of the first five underground schools in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Governor Ivan Fedorov announced on May 1.
Kharkiv was the first Ukrainian city where the concept of underground schools was introduced to ensure offline education despite regular Russian attacks. The first school was established in Kharkiv's metro.
As the front line runs through both Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv oblasts, both regions suffer from frequent Russian strikes.
The subvention from the state for the schools' project is up to Hr 500 million ($12.6 million).Fedorov said that the school construction tender will be announced this week.
Three schools will be built in the regional center of Zaporizhzhia, and the other two elsewhere in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The governor did not specify the deadline for their completion.
The newly built educational facilities will become educational platforms for children from several Zaporizhzhia districts, as well as from the nearby settlements.
The local administration aims to build 10 underground schools in the future, according to Fedorov.
According to the February poll of the Ukrainian polling agency Vox Populi, 81% of students in front-line regions learn online rather than in physical classrooms.
Deputy Education Minister Yevhen Kudriavets said in February that over 3,500 educational institutions were damaged due to the Russian full-scale invasion. Nearly 400 of them were almost destroyed.
Every seventh Ukrainian school was damaged by Russian attacks, according to the ministry's calculations.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Abbey Fenbert
