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.
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.
Zakarpattia Oblast Governor Viktor Mykyta (L) welcomes Hungarian President Katalin Novak in Zakarpattia, Ukraine, Aug. 22, 2023. (Source: Zakarpattia Oblast Military Administration)
Hungarian President Katalin Novak has arrived in Ukraine's westernmost Zakarpattia Oblast, meeting local officials and leaders of the local Hungarian ethnic community, the Hungarian news portal Telex reported on Aug. 22.
The visit comes ahead of the third Crimean Platform summit in Kyiv, where Novak has been invited to participate by her Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
"The head of the neighboring country met with the leadership of Zakarpattia Oblast, the oblast council, (the city of) Berehove, and the district," the Zakarpattia Oblast Military Administration reported.
"Together, they discussed the results and the prospects of strengthening cross-border cooperation, including the projects launched during the full-scale Russian invasion."
According to Telex, Novak's itinerary includes meeting Zakarpattia Oblast Governor Viktor Mykyta, political, religious, and education leaders of the local Hungarian community, and families of ethnic Hungarians who died while serving in the Ukrainian military.
The Hungarian president previously visited Ukraine in November 2022 to participate in the meeting of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Hungary has been at odds with Ukraine and the West over its amicable stance towards Russia even amid the full-scale war. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban proclaimed that Ukraine is a financially "non-existent" and "no longer sovereign" state due to its "dependence" on international support.
Using its membership in Western political structures, Budapest has repeatedly obstructed aid for Ukraine, as well as sanctions against Russia.
Ukraine's Zakarpattia Oblast plays a major role in the strained relationship between the two countries. The region, bordering Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland, is home to around 150,000 ethnic Hungarians, of which roughly 400 serve in the Ukrainian military.
Budapest has accused Kyiv of alleged discrimination against ethnic Hungarians in Zakarpattia Oblast. Ukrainian officials rebuked the concerns, saying that Hungarian and Romanian communities in Zakarpattia have the full support of the local government.
In the most recent scandal between the two nations, Hungarian officials cooperated with the Kremlin-controlled Russian Orthodox Church on the transfer of 11 Ukrainian prisoners of war of Hungarian ethnic background to Hungary without Kyiv's involvement.
While some of the POWs have already been retrieved by Ukraine, Ukrainian military intelligence warned that another such transfer is being prepared by Hungary and Russia.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Francis Farrell
