Performing their song "Bird of Pray," Ukrainian band Ziferblat passed the Eurovision semi-finals on May 13, qualifying Ukraine for the grand final on May 17.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a Russian delegation will be in Istanbul on May 15 for direct peace talks with Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov will likely represent Russia.
The move follows Ukraine's ratification of the minerals agreement, deepening U.S.-Ukraine economic ties and signaling expanded U.S. involvement in Ukraine's long-term recovery.
"Ukraine has initiated a coordinated campaign to vilify Hungary in order to undermine our initiative to hold a poll on (Kyiv's) EU membership," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that further concessions from Ukraine during negotiations would be unreasonable if Russia continues to attack civilian targets.
U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, will travel to Istanbul for possible peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, Reuters reported on May 13, citing three undisclosed sources.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, but said both leaders are ready to fly to Istanbul if Russian President Vladimir Putin chooses to attend the talks there.
Illustrative photo: Ukrainian forces successfully down a Shahed-type drone over the skies of Sumy Oblast on Jan. 9, 2024. (Sumy Oblast Military Administration/Telegram)
Russian forces attacked 11 communities in Sumy Oblast, injuring one person, and causing damage to energy infrastructure, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported.
The communities of Khotin, Yunakivka, Konotop, Znob-Novhorodske, Myropillia, Bilopillia, Krasnopillia, Velyka Pysarivka, Esman, Seredyna-Buda, and Shalyhyne were targeted.
In the town of Konotop, one person was injured as a result of a Russian missile strike on industrial infrastructure. No details were provided on the extent of the victim's injuries.
Russian drone attacks in the early hours of May 22 also damaged energy infrastructure in the communities of Shostka and Konotop, interrupting power supply to residents. Restoration crews are currently on-scene to assess the damage caused by the Russian strikes.
Throughout the day on May 21, Russia assailed the border communities with mortar, artillery, drone and missile attacks. Explosives were also dropped by drones onto a community.
In total, 201 explosions were recorded in 34 separate attacks on the region.
Russian strikes against Sumy Oblast have become increasingly destructive in recent months. Amid intensified attacks, Ukrainian authorities ordered increased evacuations from the region.
The town of Velyka Pysarivka, with a pre-war population of about 4,000 residents, experienced the bulk of the attacks reported with 55 explosions recorded in the area. The community is located just 3 kilometers west of the Ukraine-Russia border.
Given the town's proximity to Russia, Velyka Pysarivka has become a main target of attack for Russia over recent months. Much of the community's infrastructure has been destroyed by Russian attacks.
Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said on May 14 he expects Russia to launch a new attack in Sumy Oblast once the situation in Kharkiv Oblast stabalized, the New York Times reported.
Shelling is a daily occurrence for the communities near Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia, with residents in the region's vulnerable border settlements experience multiple attacks per day.
Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Kateryna Denisova
