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.
A photo capturing the building of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration in the regional capital of Zaporizhzhia. (Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Local authorities plan to open some of the six underground schools being built in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia and the surrounding region by late October, Zaporizhzhia Oblast Governor Ivan Fedorov said on Aug. 11.
"We expect that the first schools will receive their students at the end of October, this is our ambitious goal," Fedorov said on television. "And today, according to the schedule, we see that we can succeed in this plan."
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.
Part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast is occupied by Russian troops, who are on the offensive to attempt a breakthrough in the country's southeast. Heavy fighting is raging on about 40 kilometers from Zaporizhzhia, and the city and its nearby areas often endure indiscriminate Russian attacks.
In May Fedorov announced that the local authorities would embark on a project to build five underground schools – three in Zaporizhzhia and two elsewhere in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Earlier, Fedorov announced that 24 schools in Zaporizhzhia would begin using a mixed online and offline education format starting April 1.
According to a February poll by the Ukrainian polling agency Vox Populi, 81% of students in front-line regions were studying online.
Deputy Education Minister Yevhen Kudriavets said in February that over 3,500 educational institutions had been damaged due to the Russian full-scale invasion. Nearly 400 of them were almost destroyed.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
