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.
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said that the new pontiff had a phone call with Zelensky on Monday, during which the pope expressed willingness to facilitate meetings between global leaders and vowed to support efforts for "a just and lasting peace."
Lawyers attend the judges' inspection of the reconstruction of the MH17 wreckage, as part of the murder trial ahead of the beginning of a critical stage in Reijen, Netherlands, on May 26, 2021. (Photo by Piroschka van de Wouw - Pool/Getty Images)
The Netherlands has spent at least 166 million euros ($179.8 million) on costs related to the downing of MH17, for which it holds Russia liable, according to a report by the Dutch General Audit Chamber (ARK) published on Feb. 29.
All 298 people on board, including 80 children, were killed when Russian proxy forces used a BUK missile system to shoot down the Malaysia Airlines flight above Donetsk Oblast on July 17, 2014.
The plane was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, and Dutch citizens made up 196 of the passengers on board.
According to the ARK report, the Dutch government spent 8.6 million euros ($9.3 million) on crisis management, 22.6 million euros ($24.5 million) on repatriation of the bodies, and 9 million euros ($9.7 million) on the identification of the victims by the police and the Dutch Forensic Institute.
The most significant sum was the investigation, which cost the Dutch government 53.3 million euros ($57.7 million), followed by the criminal prosecution and trial, which cost 34.1 million euros ($36.9 million).
Two Russian nationals, Igor Girkin and Sergey Dubinsky, and Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko, were found guilty of shooting down MH17 at a Hague District Court in November 2022.
The trial began in March 2020, and the suspects were tried in absentia.
The Dutch government spent 8.1 million euros ($8.8 million) on commemorating the victims and 800,000 euros ($866,300) on caring for surviving relatives.
Other costs related to archiving information on MH17, deploying diplomats for international procedures, and research, the ARK said.
The ARK calculated costs incurred by the Dutch government from the day of the downing to the end of 2022. More costs have been incurred since 2023 "and are expected to continue in the near future."
The Netherlands and Australia plan to use the report in a procedure at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to hold Russia "liable for all costs arising from the attack."
"It is still unknown when a decision will be made in that procedure," the report noted.
Elsa Court is the audience development manager at the Kyiv Independence. She previously worked as a news editor at the Kyiv Independent and was previously an intern at the Kyiv Post. She has a Master’s in Conflict Studies and Human Rights from Utrecht University. Elsa is originally from the UK.
Oleksiy Sorokin
