The new tranche brings total recent EU defense support for Ukraine to 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion), marking a significant expansion of European efforts to boost Kyiv's defense industry.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
Both men face charges related to terrorism and espionage. Daniil B. was detained in Lithuania, where he is in temporary custody, while Oleksandr V. remains at large in Russia.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies discussed tougher sanctions against Russia's banking sector, central bank, and energy industry.
"We are ready for all options. But of course, we are separately waiting for a response on the ceasefire," a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Kyiv Independent.
The EU plans to unveil on May 14 its next package of sanctions imposed against Russia over its aggression against Ukraine, an EU official told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity.
Polish truckers plan to restrict freight traffic at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint on the Ukrainian border, Ukraine's State Border Guard said on May 12.
"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.
Anna Tsivileva waits for a meeting with Russian president in Moscow on June 1, 2024. (Alexander Kazakov/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sacked four deputy defense ministers and appointed a relative to fill one of the resulting vacancies in the latest shake-up of the ministry.
According to Kremlin decrees, Nikolai Pankov, Ruslan Tsalikov, Tatiana Shevtsova and Pavel Popov all lost their jobs.
Anna Tsivilyova, a daughter of Putin's late cousin, took one of the empty spots and will be responsible for improving social and housing support for military personnel.
She is president of the Russian coal mining company JSC Kolmar Group and was sanctioned by the UK government in 2022.
Tsivilyova is married to Sergei Tsivilyov, Russia's energy minister.
The changes are the latest moves to have shaken-up Russia's defense ministry.
Putin last month officially appointed Andrei Belousov as the country's new defense minister, replacing the long-standing Sergei Shoigu in a surprise reshuffle of Russia's security and defense apparatus.
Shoigu had faced criticism for the Russian military's poor performance in Ukraine.
And in April, Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was detained on the suspicion of receiving a bribe.
Ivanov, who was Russia's top official in charge of the country's construction of military facilities, was detained and remains in jail ever since.
Russia's Investigative Committee noted that an investigation is ongoing and did not provide any details on the allegations.
On May 13, a day after Shoigu was moved from the defense ministry to the security council, another top defense official was arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe.
Yuri Kuznetsov, who oversaw the ministry's personnel, was arrested for allegedly taking 30 million rubles ($335,000).
Major General Ivan Popov, former commander of the 58th Army, was arrested on May 21 on charges of corruption and Defense Ministry's Communications Department Head Vadim Shamarin was arrested in his office on May 23.
Oleg Sukhov
