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.
The survey, conducted between April 24 and May 4, shows that 56.9% of respondents would not be willing to compromise on either territorial integrity or Ukraine’s pro-Western direction in any potential talks with Moscow.
North Korean soldiers in Pyongyang, North Korea, on July 8, 2019. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Kim Won Jin/AFP/Getty Images)
North Korean troops are likely to suffer heavy losses in Ukraine, potentially exceeding those of Russia, Estonian Colonel Ants Kiviselg, head of the Estonian Defense Forces Intelligence Center, told the Estonian public broadcaster ERR on Nov. 1.
The first North Korean soldiers were deployed to Russia's Kursk Oblast in late October, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported earlier. North Korea has sent nearly 12,000 troops to Russia, including 500 officers and three generals, according to HUR.
North Korean soldiers are usually trained to fight in mountainous terrain, which means they are not familiar with Ukrainian territory, its climate, and geography, Kiviselg said.
"Their training does not include combat operations in such conditions, and the training they receive in the Russian Federation is certainly not of a very high level," Kiviselg said.
"Therefore, we can expect North Korean units to suffer heavy losses in Ukraine, and probably even more than the Russian Federation's forces have suffered so far."
He said that the North Korean troops arrived in Kursk Oblast in "early October," having previously undergone two to four weeks of training. Following this, North Korean soldiers redeployed to the "Ukrainian front," Kiviselg added.
"The arrival of North Korean soldiers on the Ukrainian front will likely take place in stages," Kiviselg said.
"If this additional deployment of (North Korean) units in Russia, their training, and then arrival on the Ukrainian front continues in the long term, it could certainly bring some changes to the front line."
Some 8,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia's Kursk Oblast to participate in the war against Ukraine, according to U.S. intelligence.
According to the Financial Times, Ukrainian intelligence officials are skeptical regarding the combat effectiveness of the North Korean troops, citing communication issues with their Russian counterparts as the main hurdle Moscow and Pyongyang will have to bridge.
North Korea's entry into the war comes when Russia's long and grinding campaign in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk Oblast has dramatically gained pace in recent days. Analysts say Russian forces are advancing at a pace not seen since the early months of the war.
Chris York
