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.
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.
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."
Firefighters put out a fire after a Russian strike hit Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 29, 2023. (Oleksii Chumachenko/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Russia's winter campaign of missile strikes is predominantly targeting Ukraine's military-industrial complex, Vadym Skibitskyi, a representative of Ukraine's Military Intelligence (HUR), said in an interview with RBC Ukraine on Jan. 15.
This marks a change from last winter when Ukraine's energy facilities were massively targeted, Skibitskyi said.
The U.K. Defense Ministry also highlighted this shift in strategy in its Jan. 3 intelligence report, noting that this may indicate that Russia anticipates a protracted war in which relative defense industrial capacity is of high importance.
The assessment comes as Ukraine reports a rise in the domestic production of weapons amid rising uncertainty surrounding military aid from abroad. President Volodymyr Zelensky said in December that domestic production of equipment and weapons tripled in 2023 compared to 2022.
Even when Russia aims at military targets, civilians are killed and injured as the weapons Russia uses are "very imprecise," particularly the hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, Skibitskyi said.
The power system also remains under threat, and Russia has "identified the most critical facilities that can be hit precisely with missiles," as well as drones, Skibitskyi said.
On Jan. 8, twelve oblasts across Ukraine were left without power due to a combination of Russian attacks and bad weather.
