"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.
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.
This includes at least seven people injured in drone attacks overnight on May 12, a date from which Kyiv and its allies put forward a demand for a 30-day unconditional truce, a step that Moscow continues to reject.
A demonstrator holds a sign picturing Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna, currently detained in Russian-occupied territory, for World Press Freedom Day 2024. (National Union of Journalists of Ukraine Press Service)
The Russian Defense Ministry has confirmed that Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna, who went missing in August 2023, is being detained in Russian-occupied territory, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) reported on May 27.
Volodymyr Roshchyn, Viktoria's father, received a letter from the Russian Defense Ministry confirming his daughter's captivity.
"According to available information, Roshchyna Viktoria Volodymyrivna ... has been detained and is currently on the territory of the Russian Federation," the letter said.
Volodymyr Roshchyn shared the letter with NUJU and also contacted the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to verify the Russian Defense Ministry's claims. The ICRC confirmed that Roshchyna was being detained, but said they had no access to her at present.
Roshchyna disappeared on Aug. 3, 2023 while reporting in Russian-occupied territory. Her father received the defense ministry's letter on April 22, 2024. According to Roshchyna's family, letters to Russia's Investigative Committee, Prosecutor General's Office, and Ombudsman remain unanswered.
Roshchyna has covered Russia's full-scale invasion for multiple Ukrainian news outlets, including Hromadske, Ukrainska Pravda, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).
In March 2022, Roshchyna was detained for 10 days by Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) officers while leaving Berdiansk in the direction of Mariupol. As a condition of her release, she was forced to record a video saying Russian forces had saved her life.
The International Women's Media Foundation awarded Roshchyna the Courage in Jouranlism Award in 2022.
Roshchyna's family told NUJU that they filed a request the Russian proxy prosecutor's office in occupied Mariupol. They were told that no case had been opened against Roshchyna.
BBC Russia reported in January 2024 that thousands of Ukrainian civilians in Russian captivity are detained without charges, trials, or access to legal counsel.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
Dmytro Basmat
