More than 1,000 Russian government entities and 1,200 private companies are involved in the economy of occupied Mariupol, a major southeastern city occupied by Russia after it invaded Ukraine in 2022, according to a research paper published on May 14.
The measures target almost 200 ships of Russia's "shadow fleet," 30 companies involved in sanctions evasion, 75 sanctions on entities and individuals linked to the Russian military-industrial complex, and more.
The government has approved "reform roadmaps in the rule of law, public administration, and democratic institutions, as well as Ukraine’s negotiation position," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
The statement did not name the ex-official by name, but details of the case indicate it relates to Oleh Hladkovsky, a former deputy secretary of Ukraine's top security body who has been wanted since mid-April.
Brazilian President Lula da Silva claimed that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had appealed to his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, to ask Putin if he was willing to conclude a peace agreement.
"Trump needs to believe that Putin actually lies," Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv. "And we should do our part. Sensibly approach this issue, to show that it’s not us that is slowing down the process."
The EU plans to significantly increase tariffs on Ukrainian goods after the current duty-free deal lapses on June 6, the Financial Times reported on May 14, citing undisclosed diplomatic sources.
The blockade ended at 10:30 p.m. local time. Truck traffic in both directions is now moving as usual, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard's statement.
Russia seems to be preparing a significant offensive in Ukraine as it is moving troops toward key positions on the front, the Financial Times reported on May 13, citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, but said both leaders are ready to fly to Istanbul if Russian President Vladimir Putin chooses to attend the talks there.
Russian recruits gather outside a military processing center as drafted men said goodbye to their families before departing from their town in Moscow, Russia in October 2022, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
People living in Russian-occupied Crimea are increasingly unhappy with the Russian military's efforts to force them into the army, the National Resistance Center reported on Aug. 27.
According to the Center's sources, Russian-installed authorities conducted a closed survey of local residents asking them their opinions on the military draft. The results, which were not released to the public, show "an extremely negative attitude" toward conscription.
The Center said that the survey findings motivated occupation authorities to offer conscripts additional benefits, but that these offerings were unlikely to sway the public mood.
Russian proxies throughout the occupied regions of Ukraine have forcibly drafted residents into the Russian military. In the Russian Federation, too, where campaigns to force men into military service have proven deeply unpopular, efforts to entice recruits with financial benefits have increased.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have carried out multiple strikes on targets in Crimea, including a successful raid on Aug. 24, Ukrainian Independence Day.
Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said on Aug. 23 that locals in occupied Crimea should do whatever they can to "create favorable conditions" for liberating troops.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
