The convictions mark a significant development in Britain's efforts to counter Russian intelligence operations amid heightened tensions stemming from Moscow's war against Ukraine and repeated Kremlin threats toward Kyiv's allies.
According to the Verkhovna Rada's website, Ukraine completed the ratification of the U.S.-Ukraine minerals agreement on May 12. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the deal.
"I myself have heard relatives talking: our village is being attacked, let's roll the car out of the garage, maybe they will shell it — at least we will get money. The car is old, we can't sell it," Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
The new tranche brings total recent EU defense support for Ukraine to 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion), marking a significant expansion of European efforts to boost Kyiv's defense industry.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
Both men face charges related to terrorism and espionage. Daniil B. was detained in Lithuania, where he is in temporary custody, while Oleksandr V. remains at large in Russia.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies discussed tougher sanctions against Russia's banking sector, central bank, and energy industry.
"We are ready for all options. But of course, we are separately waiting for a response on the ceasefire," a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Kyiv Independent.
The EU plans to unveil on May 14 its next package of sanctions imposed against Russia over its aggression against Ukraine, an EU official told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity.
Ukrainian soldiers from Tank battalion of the 24th separate mechanized brigade named after king Danylo are seen with T-72 tank on positions near Konstantinivka in Donbas, Ukraine on June 26, 2023. (Wojciech Grzedzinski/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Ukrainian troops have advanced up to 2 kilometers in the Berdiansk direction, the military's Tavria command spokesperson Valerii Shershen said on July 4.
"Along the southern front line, the Defense Forces are systematically knocking the enemy out of their positions and continue to advance," Shershen said.
According to the spokesperson, Ukrainian forces are solidifying the newly taken positions, conducting aerial reconnaissance, clearing out mines, and targeting enemy positions with artillery fire.
Russian causalities from the skirmishes in the sector over the past day include 72 dead, 166 wounded, and 36 pieces of equipment destroyed, including two tanks and nine armored vehicles, Shershen said.
In the Rivnopil district in Donetsk Oblast, Russian forces are attempting unsuccessful offensive operations, according to the spokesperson. At the same time, Russia is reportedly attempting to fend off Ukraine's advance in the Zaporizhzhia direction.
On July 3, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that the ongoing counteroffensive has liberated 28.4 square kilometers in the south and 9 square kilometers in the east over the past week.
Despite criticism of the reportedly "slow" progress of the counteroffensive, Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi said that Ukrainian troops are advancing at least 500 meters every day.
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
