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.
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.
People arrive to receive Russian passports at a center in Russian-occupied Kherson on July 21, 2022. (Getty Images)
Russia systematically coerces residents of the occupied parts of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts to accept Russian passports, the U.S. research group Ukraine Conflict Observatory reported on Aug. 2.
Ukrainians living in the occupied territories "are subjected to threats, intimidation, restrictions on humanitarian aid and basic necessities, and possible detention or deportation," the Yale University researchers said.
The analysis pointed out that these methods mirror those used by Russia in Crimea and occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts since 2014.
Russia's process of forced passportization is two-fold. Firstly, the occupation authorities streamline the process for Ukrainian citizens to acquire Russian passports. Secondly, Russia imposes de facto restrictions against those that refuse, according to the report.
This may include denial of medical services, social benefits, the ability to drive and to work, and even overt threats of violence or intimidation.
On July 21, the National Resistance Center said that Russian occupation authorities in some parts of Kherson Oblast force the residents to accept Russian passports under the threat of deportation. In other cases, those who hold on to their Ukrainian passports reportedly face losing their property rights, prison sentences, and mobilization into the Russian army.
During the massive flooding of the Kherson Oblast following the breach of the Kakhovka dam, Russia allowed evacuations only to Russian passport holders, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported.
Under Putin's executive order, anyone living in the occupied territories who refuses to accept Russian citizenship will be considered a foreigner and could face deportation starting on July 1, 2024.
According to the Ukraine Conflict Observatory, Russia's methods constitute a serious violation of international law, as the Hague Convention of 1907 forbids to "compel the inhabitants of occupied territory to swear allegiance to the hostile Power."
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
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