"I am waiting to see who will come from Russia, and then I will decide which steps Ukraine should take. So far, the signals from them in the media are unconvincing," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The air raid was announced at around 2:30 p.m. local time, while the explosion sounded around 2:50 p.m. The number of victims killed rose to three, Sumy Oblast Governor Oleh Hryhorov reported at 8:42 p.m.
If confirmed, the decision would mark the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion that President Volodymyr Zelensky is absent, either physically or virtually, from a NATO summit.
The disclosure follows a warning from Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski, who on May 6 said Moscow was carrying out an "unprecedented" interference campaign.
Brazilian President Lula da Silva claimed that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had appealed to his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, to ask Putin if he was willing to conclude a peace agreement.
Earlier reporting from the Washington Post cited a former Russian official who claimed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, would represent Moscow in the talks.
The Council of Europe on May 14 approved the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Russia's top leadership for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, Ukrainian lawmaker Maria Mezentseva reported.
Viktoria Roshchyna, 27, disappeared in August 2023 while reporting from Ukraine's Russian-occupied territories. Moscow admitted she was in Russian detention the following year.
Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel speaks about the future of the EU-led special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine and its role in bringing Russia to justice.
Ukrainians evacuated from Lebanon on Aug. 3, 2024. (Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR)/Telegram)
Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) and the Foreign Ministry evacuated 30 Ukrainians from Lebanon on Aug. 3 amid heightened security risks in the Middle East, HUR reported.
Tensions rose after Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran on July 31. Iran accused Israel of carrying out the strike.
A few days earlier, an attack from Lebanon on a village on the Golan Heights reportedly killed 12 children. Israel and the U.S. said the attack had been organized by Hezbollah, a terrorist group based in Lebanon.
After that, Israel struck Beirut, claiming to have killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr. Now Israel is on high alert for a possible retaliation from Iran and Hezbollah as the U.S. is sending more warships and fighter jets to the Middle East to bolster defenses, CNN reported.
On Aug. 2, the Foreign Ministry recommended that Ukrainians refrain from traveling to Israel and leave Lebanon.
Ukrainians evacuated from Lebanon on Aug.3, 2024. (Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR)/Telegram)
On the way to Ukraine, the evacuated Ukrainians, 21 women and nine children, have already arrived in Rzeszow, Poland, where they were met by Ukrainian consuls and HUR representatives, according to Ukraine's military intelligence.
"Ukraine became one of the first countries in the world to successfully evacuate its citizens from Lebanon. As in previous cases of crises and armed conflicts abroad, Ukraine demonstrates leadership in caring for its people," the statement by Ukraine's military intelligence read.
Ukrainians who want to leave Lebanon should contact Ukraine's embassy in Lebanon or the Foreign Ministry hotline, HUR said.
Those who decide to stay in the country are advised to refrain from traveling to the areas bordering the Syrian border and the Israeli border south of the Litani River, as well as to several Lebanese refugee camps.
Kyiv voiced support for Israel after it came under a deadly attack by the Hamas terrorist group in October 2023.
As Tel Aviv's subsequent ground invasion of Gaza attracted harsh criticism from much of the international community, Zelensky said in June that Ukraine recognizes both Israel and Palestine, calling for an end to the conflict in Gaza.
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.
Elsa Court
