Peter Szijjarto's announcement came after Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) allegedly dismantled a Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Zakarpattia Oblast.
The approval marks a key step in international efforts to hold Moscow accountable for what is considered the gravest violation of international law committed against Ukraine.
Although Moscow declared on April 28 that it would halt all military actions from May 8 to midnight on May 11 to mark Victory Day, strikes on civilian areas have continued.
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.
Director of the Okhmatdyt children's hospital Volodymyr Zhovnir is attending the requiem for the victims of the Russian missile attack on the medical institution in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 12, 2024. (Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Volodymyr Zhovnir, CEO of the Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv, was suspended until all inspections related to the hospital's reconstruction are completed, Health Minister Viktor Liashko said on Aug. 17.
Okhmatdyt, Ukraine's largest children's medical center, was hit during a Russian missile attack on July 8 that killed two people and injured over 30. One of the hospital's buildings was completely destroyed, while another, the biggest and most advanced one which, reportedly, accounts for up to 95% of the hospital’s functions, was damaged.
Following the strike, more than Hr 1 billion ($24 million) was raised through several fundraisers for the hospital's reconstruction within days. Individuals and businesses alike donated to help the hospital resume its vital operations as fast as possible.
In early August, Liashko requested that law enforcement conduct additional inspections of the tender for the rebuilding of Okhmatdyt, which was won by the Ukrainian company Bud-Technology offering its services at inflated prices.
Among the 14 companies that submitted their bids for the tender, Bud-Technology was reportedly the third-highest bidder and proposed to rebuild the heavily damaged building for a total of Hr 307 million ($7.4 million).
After the public uproar, Liashko announced that the tender would be held again.
According to the health minister, Zhovnir announced the bidder as the winner of the tender without taking into account the recommendations of the working group that had been created to oversee the reconstruction.
Zhovnir will be temporarily replaced by Oleksandr Urin, head of the department of intensive and efferent therapy of acute intoxications at Okhmatdyt.
Liashko said that the first results of the inspection by the Health Ministry's commission showed "distortion of key information" which is officially reported to him. The police are conducting a pre-trial investigation into possible wrongdoing, the health minister added.
"All circumstances must be established. All those responsible must be punished. The hospital must be rebuilt. Everything must be done clearly, transparently, quickly and in accordance with the law," Liashko said.
According to the health minister, further reconstruction of Okhmatdyt will be overseen by the newly-created Restoration Council, which includes representatives of the companies that made some of the biggest donations to the fundraisers.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Natalia Yermak
