"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.
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.
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.
Moscow and Hanoi agreed to negotiate and sign agreements to construct nuclear power plants in Vietnam, the two countries said in a joint statement on May 11.
The sanctions appear to be in response to Russia's rejection of a 30-day ceasefire that the U.K., alongside Ukraine, France, Germany, and Poland, demanded during a visit to Kyiv on May 10.
"We now know for sure that the great fire of the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw was caused by arson ordered by the Russian special services," Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X. "Some of the perpetrators have already been detained, all the others are identified and searched for."
Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (R) and Defense Minister Pal Jonson give a press conference at the Norrbotten Regiment I19 in Boden, Sweden, on Feb. 24, 2023, the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. - Sweden announced the delivery of 'around' 10 Leopard tanks and anti-air systems to Ukraine. (Andreas Sjolin/TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Images)
The Swedish government will announce a military aid package worth 7.1 billion Swedish kronor ($682 million), the country's largest contribution to date, the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter (DN) reported on Feb. 19.
The Nordic country's defense support for Kyiv since the outbreak of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022 has already amounted to 22.2 billion Swedish kronor ($2.13 billion).
The upcoming 15th package is to be announced during a press conference on Feb. 20 by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Defense Minister Pal Jonson, DN said.
The tranche is reportedly meant to include materiel from the Swedish Armed Forces' stocks. Additional funds will also be allocated to replace arms already sent to Ukraine and to be able to obtain equipment more quickly when needed, according to the outlet.
While not a NATO member, Stockholm plays an important role in the pro-Ukraine coalition. Swedish contributions to Kyiv have included Archer self-propelled artillery systems, CV90 infantry fighting vehicles, and Swedish variants of Leopard 2 tanks: Strv 122.
Sweden unveiled its previous package in October 2023, worth 2.2 billion Swedish kronor ($211 million) and consisting of artillery ammunition, spare parts, infantry equipment, and communications equipment.
Ukraine has also shown interest in Swedish-made Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets, although Sweden has been hesitant to supply the aircraft so far.
Jonson told the Kyiv Independent last week that Stockholm is open to the possibility of supplying modern jets to Ukraine once Sweden finalizes its NATO bid.
Sweden applied to join NATO in 2022, shortly after the start of the Russian full-scale invasion, but the process has been long delayed by Hungary and Turkey.
After the Turkish parliament finally ratified Sweden's bid earlier this year, Budapest remains as the only holdout.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Martin Fornusek
