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.
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Friday, May 9
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.
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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.
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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.
(Updated: )Victory Day
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.
Friday, May 9
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."
The annual report of Lithuania's State Security Department revealed that Russian, Belarusian, and Chinese intelligence agencies tried to recruit Lithuanian citizens, LRT wrote on April 26.
According to the report, "not a single attempt" was successful. Additionally, five Russian intelligence officers "working under diplomatic cover" were expelled from the country, LRT wrote.
"The intensity of other types of activities of Russian special services – information operations, radio-electronic and cyber intelligence – remains high, therefore the State Security Department will pay priority attention to preventing these activities, conducting counterintelligence actions and strengthening cyber security," the report added.
The State Security Department also uncovered Russian companies operating in Lithuania that were attempting to help Russian citizens circumvent sanctions and passed the intel on to "relevant state institutions," LRT wrote.
Russian intelligence operations remain a security threat not only in Lithuania but throughout the European continent.
VSquare, a network of independent media outlets from Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia, recently found that nearly 200 satellite dishes on the rooftops of 39 Russian diplomatic missions across Europe are used for spying, with the devices installed on top of the embassy in Brussels capable of conducting surveillance even in neighboring countries.
Investigative Stories from Ukraine: Russia spies in EU with its embassies’ satellite dishes, media find
Welcome to Investigative Stories from Ukraine, the Kyiv Independent’s newsletter that walks you through the most prominent investigations of the past week. If you are fond of in-depth journalism that exposes war crimes, corruption and abuse of power across state organizations in Ukraine and beyond,…
Alexander Khrebet
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