More than 1,000 Russian government entities and 1,200 private companies are involved in the economy of occupied Mariupol, a major southeastern city occupied by Russia after it invaded Ukraine in 2022, according to a research paper published on May 14.
The measures target almost 200 ships of Russia's "shadow fleet," 30 companies involved in sanctions evasion, 75 sanctions on entities and individuals linked to the Russian military-industrial complex, and more.
The government has approved "reform roadmaps in the rule of law, public administration, and democratic institutions, as well as Ukraine’s negotiation position," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
The statement did not name the ex-official by name, but details of the case indicate it relates to Oleh Hladkovsky, a former deputy secretary of Ukraine's top security body who has been wanted since mid-April.
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.
"Trump needs to believe that Putin actually lies," Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv. "And we should do our part. Sensibly approach this issue, to show that it’s not us that is slowing down the process."
The EU plans to significantly increase tariffs on Ukrainian goods after the current duty-free deal lapses on June 6, the Financial Times reported on May 14, citing undisclosed diplomatic sources.
The blockade ended at 10:30 p.m. local time. Truck traffic in both directions is now moving as usual, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard's statement.
Russia seems to be preparing a significant offensive in Ukraine as it is moving troops toward key positions on the front, the Financial Times reported on May 13, citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, but said both leaders are ready to fly to Istanbul if Russian President Vladimir Putin chooses to attend the talks there.
Denys Bihus, the head of Bihus.info investigative outlet, addressing the surveillance scandal in a video published on Jan. 16, 2024. (BIHUS.info/YouTube)
An investigation into the news organization that shared personal videos and tapped phone calls of employees of the Ukrainian investigative outlet Bihus.Info found that the supposed organization is likely fake, the Svidomi news outlet reported on Jan. 17.
Bihus.info announced on Jan. 16 that its employees had been under surveillance for months after a video appeared online showing some staff members of the outlet using drugs during a New Year's private party.
The video included footage of a well-placed, hidden camera inside a building where the party took place, as well as video recordings taken from the street and tapped phone calls, where the staff members discuss purchasing drugs.
The footage was shared by a supposed "investigative news organization" called Narodna Pravda. Svidomi's investigation into Narodna Pravda found no evidence of its actual existence.
There is no information about its staff members, and Svidomi said the individuals and their respective biographies, including the places they previously worked, may have been created by AI.
A further investigation using facial recognition technology to analyze photos of the supposed staff also yielded no results. There are also irregularities with the photos themselves, causing Svidomi to question if the photos were also created with AI.
Lawmaker Yaroslav Yurchyshyn said on Jan. 17 that Ukraine's parliamentary committee on freedom of speech is investigating the matter.
It was "definitely" a case of obstruction and pressure against journalists, he added.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) also said it had begun an investigation into the incident and had started criminal proceedings.
The news came only a day after Yurii Nikolov, a prominent journalist known for his investigation into defense procurement corruption scandals, said he had received a threatening visit to his home by unknown men.
Dinara Khalilova
