Moscow and Washington discuss the potential resumption of Russian gas supplies to Europe, among other issues related to the peaceful settlement of Russia's war in Ukraine, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed to the Russian state-run Interfax news agency.
"This is a historic decision, as weapons for Ukraine will be purchased at the expense of the proceeds from frozen Russian assets through the European Peace Fund," Denys Shmyhal said.
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.
Russia's ice navigation vessel Katerina Velikaya. (The shipbuilding complex Zvezda)
Russia's unique ice navigation vessel Katerina Velikaya caught fire while it was under repair at the shipyard Dalzavod in Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai, Russia's Far Eastern Prosecutor's Office claimed on April 8.
The fire reportedly started at around 3:00 a.m. local time and was put out six hours later. One person was killed, and three others were hospitalized due to the fire, according to the local prosecutor's office.
"Law enforcement officials are currently conducting inspections and trying to determine the circumstances of the incident," the prosecutor's office said as of 9 a.m. local time.
Katerina Velikaya, built in 2020, is an Icebreaker 7-class vessel that can operate in the conditions of the Arctic Circle and travel through ice thickness up to 2.5 meters.
Katerina Velikaya can carry out various tasks, such as transporting cargo in sea ice conditions, setting the anchor on other vessels, escorting and rescuing ships, eliminating oil spills and external fires, and monitoring the ice sheet.
Several weeks ago, Russia reportedly lost the military landing ship Konstantin Olshansky, which was hit by a Neptune missile, according to Ukraine's Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk. It was one of many Ukrainian ships seized by Russian forces during the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
In recent months, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russia's Black Sea Fleet targets in occupied Crimea, successfully targeting several ships and forcing Russian forces to redeploy to safer waters.
The Strategic Communications Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (StratCom) recently reported that as of early February 2024, 33% of the fleet's warships had been disabled, including 24 ships and one submarine.
Andrii Kharuk
