"If the Russians are using this level of specialists in urban combat, they are probably facing some difficulties," Ivan Petrychak, spokesperson for the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, said.
Previously, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused the Russian intelligence services of orchestrating a May 2024 arson attack on the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw.
"Perhaps in some areas, the intensity decreased slightly to create an image of compliance with their own announcement. But in reality, (Russia) continued attacks every day, using all available weapons — including aircraft to drop guided bombs on Ukraine," Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, said.
Beijing supports all efforts toward achieving peace in Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on May 12 when asked about Kyiv and Europe's proposal for a 30-day truce.
"I invited His Holiness to make an apostolic visit to Ukraine. Such a visit would bring real hope to all believers and to all our people," Zelensky said.
Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak voiced doubt about leading negotiations with anyone from Russia except President Vladimir Putin, implying only the Russian leader can make real decisions.
This includes at least seven people injured in drone attacks overnight on May 12, a date from which Kyiv and its allies put forward a demand for a 30-day unconditional truce, a step that Moscow continues to reject.
"When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs," the Elysee Palace reacted to a fake story pushed by Russia.
The comments came after Trump urged Ukraine to agree to direct negotiations with Russia, which has invited Kyiv to peace talks in Istanbul on May 15, without first agreeing to halt military operations.
A Russian drone hit a civilian freight train in Donetsk Oblast on May 12 and injured its driver, Ukrainian Railways said amid Kyiv's calls for a ceasefire.
Moscow and Hanoi agreed to negotiate and sign agreements to construct nuclear power plants in Vietnam, the two countries said in a joint statement on May 11.
Viktor Orban, Hungary's prime minister, delivers his year's annual assessment speech during a government congress on Feb. 18, 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. (via Getty Images)
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is threatening to veto the extension of EU sanctions against Russia, which must be renewed every six months, Politico reported on Feb. 22, citing three unnamed diplomats familiar with the matter.
One of the reasons is that Hungary wants four individuals to be removed from the list.
According to the report, Hungary is also opposing a proposal, backed by all other member states, to prolong the extension period from six to 12 months, which would give Budapest fewer opportunities to torpedo the sanctions and derail EU decisions.
So far, EU ambassadors have not reached a compromise with Hungary, despite the EU being ready to comply with demands to remove the four people from the sanctions lists, two diplomats said.
On Feb. 22, the officials are set to discuss a “tentative compromise” that involves moving to 9-month renewal periods rather than the current six months, according to the diplomats.
The EU has sanctioned over 1,400 people in relation to Russia’s war in Ukraine, including oligarchs, members of Russia’s parliament, military and security officials, and Russian administrators in Ukraine’s occupied territories. If Hungary continues its veto, all of them would have to be de-listed, the report reads.
At the same time, the EU is close to agreeing on the tenth sanctions package against Russia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the next sanctions package would help restrict 11 billion euros worth of multiple electronic components used in Russian weapons - such as drones, missiles, and helicopters - via trade bans and technology controls.
The EU aims to adopt the package this week, before the one-year mark of the full-scale Russian invasion on Feb. 24.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
