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.
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 survey, conducted between April 24 and May 4, shows that 56.9% of respondents would not be willing to compromise on either territorial integrity or Ukraine’s pro-Western direction in any potential talks with Moscow.
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.
The main building of the Russian Defense Ministry, outfitted with anti-aircraft systems, in February 2023 amid Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)
Right-wing Russian bloggers dismissed the state's attempts to quell critique by publishing videos of well-equipped front-line soldiers, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on Aug. 28.
On Aug. 25, multiple Russian commentators complained that units of the 205th Motorized Rifle Brigade – the same brigade that blew up the Kakhovka Dam in June – lacked sufficient artillery support. They claimed that soldiers "were suffering significant casualties under Ukrainian artillery fire on an island in the Kherson direction" and that their commanders ignored repeated calls for additional artillery.
In response, Russian state media released footage on Aug. 26 allegedly showing five soldiers of the 205th in new uniforms. In the video, the soldiers ask Russian bloggers to stop harming the brigade's operations by complaining about artillery shortages.
The soldiers add that military commentators who want to aid Russia's invasion can volunteer to "fight on the front lines" themselves.
However, the bloggers weren't convinced. According to the ISW, several writers "claimed that the video was clearly staged to deflect criticism from the brigade’s leadership," and by extension, the Russian Defense Ministry.
The Russian Defense Ministry has often equated criticizing Russian military command in Ukraine with harming military operations at the front. The ministry has "consistently tried throughout the full-scale invasion to silence criticisms in the Russian information space," the ISW said.
This has brought pro-war Russian nationalists into conflict with the government over the war in Ukraine.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
Oleg Sukhov
