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.
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.
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.
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."
President Volodymyr Zelensky had a "constructive" phone call with United States President Donald Trump on May 8, discussing the war, continued pressure on Russia, and a potential ceasefire.
The survey, conducted between April 24 and May 4, shows that 56.9% of respondents would not be willing to compromise on either territorial integrity or Ukraine’s pro-Western direction in any potential talks with Moscow.
Military intelligence spokesperson Andrii Yusov. (Eugen Kotenko / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Russia has currently deployed over 400,000 soldiers in Ukrainian territory, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) spokesperson Andrii Yusov said during a KYIV24 television broadcast on Oct. 23.
"There are enough forces for separate operations in certain areas of the front. And the occupier's group in Ukraine in the temporarily occupied territories, we remind you, is more than 400 thousand Russian servicemen," Yusov said.
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War Notes
Despite what Yusov described as "a considerable number of personnel," the HUR spokesperson said he did not anticipate a Russian winter offensive on the same scale as that of February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
"We are not talking about a repeat of the scenario that happened in February 2022. But in certain areas, yes, the enemy will continue to try to conduct separate offensive operations," he said.
The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Oct. 23 that Russian forces launched attacks on multiple sectors of the eastern front, including near Avdiivka, Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, and Marinka.
In addition to a heavy concentration of Russian military personnel, Yusov said "new weapons are being decommissioned and delivered to the front."
Yusov also reported that Russia continues conducting new rounds of mobilization.
Mobilization campaigns have proven deeply unpopular in Russia, and U.K. intelligence reported on Oct. 10 that Moscow would likely avoid further rounds before the March 2024 presidential elections.
Asami Terajima
