Peter Szijjarto's announcement came after Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) allegedly dismantled a Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Zakarpattia Oblast.
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.
A medical worker exits an ambulance on Oct. 28, 2021 in Kyiv. (kyivcity.gov.ua)
Ukraine has detected Omicron, a new highly transmissible Covid-19 strain, on Dec. 18.
According to the Health Ministry, Ukraine's first patient infected with Omicron recently returned from the United Arab Emirates, where they had come into contact with Covid-19 patients.
The ministry is now conducting case investigation and contact tracing.
It is not clear where exactly in Ukraine this first Omicron case was registered.
Ukraine banned entry for foreigners traveling from eight African countries where the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has been detected starting Dec. 3. The government also ruled that Ukrainians returning from these countries must self-isolate for 14 days.
The ministry advised against traveling to "countries where the Omicron strain has spread." As of Dec. 18, Omicron was detected in 80 countries.
Health Minister Viktor Lyashko once again encouraged everyone to get vaccinated.
As of Dec. 18, Ukraine has fully vaccinated over 12.9 million people, or 34% of its general population and 42% of its adult population.
All adult Ukrainians and foreigners with residence permits can get vaccinated for free at one of the mass vaccination centers or a local clinic. See the list here.
Vaccine efficiency against the new Omicron strain is still being studied.
What we know about Omicron
Since it was first identified in South Africa and Botswana in November, Omicron has spread across 80 countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) named Omicron a new “variant of concern.”
The new strain has a combination of more than 50 mutations, which, early studies show, might increase transmissibility and partially escape infection- or vaccine-induced immunity.
Some studies suggested that Omicron may be the fastest transmissible Covid-19 strain to date.
According to researchers from The University of Hong Kong, Omicron multiplies around 70 times faster than Delta, previously known as the most contagious variant, in the human bronchial tubes. Omicron, however, multiplies less efficiently (more than 10 times lower) in the human lung tissue, the researchers discovered.
A Dec. 10 report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also suggests that the new variant may be less susceptible to vaccines. Out of the first 43 patients infected with Omicron in the U.S., the majority – 34 people – were fully vaccinated.
Though some early reports suggested that Omicron might be less severe, a recent UK study found no evidence of the variant’s lower severity.
Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on Dec. 14 that the organization is concerned about people dismissing Omicron as mild.
"Omicron is spreading at a rate we have not seen with any previous variant,” he said. “Even if Omicron does cause less severe disease, the sheer number of cases could once again overwhelm unprepared health systems."
Toma Istomina is the deputy chief editor of the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked for the Kyiv Post from 2017-2021, first as a staff writer, later taking editor roles. For co-founding the Kyiv Independent, Toma was selected as one of the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe in 2022. She holds a master’s in international broadcasting from Taras Shevchenko University.
