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."
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.
Illustrative purposes only: Facial recognition payment gates at Smolenskaya metro station in Moscow, Russia, on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. The Moscow metro system, which carries more people annually than New York subway, is trialing its Face Pay facial recognition technology to allow passengers to pay their fares. (Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Hackers of the IT Army of Ukraine targeted the Russian government and local systems, disrupting the fare payment system in Moscow and Kazan public transport, the Digital Transformation Ministry said on March 13.
Cyberattacks have become an increasingly common tool employed by both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The ministry said that as a result, owners of transport cards in Moscow and Kazan could not pay for their tickets, top-up travel cards, or pay for parking.
The IT Army of Ukraine, a group of volunteer hackers supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression, said the operation was prepared for nearly a month.
"Collateral damage exceeded our expectations, with visible damage to some state networks and associated providers, including the parking system," the group said.
Ukraine's military intelligence agency said earlier this month that it had hacked the servers of Russia's Defense Ministry, marking another successful cyberattack against Russia.
In turn, Ukraine suffered one of the largest attacks last December when a group of allegedly Russian-affiliated hackers disabled the services of Kyivstar, the country's leading telecommunications provider.
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.
Kateryna Denisova
