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.
Transmission towers and power lines near a high-voltage electricity substation, operated by the state-owned company Ukrenergo in central Ukraine on March 1, 2023. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Andrew Kravchenko/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Russia's drone attack against Ukraine overnight on Jan. 30 damaged an electrical substation in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and caused a blackout in a Chernihiv Oblast community, Ukrainian authorities reported.
Russia launched 35 Shahed-type drones at Ukraine at night, 15 of which were downed over multiple oblasts, according to the Air Force. A part of Russian drones reportedly targeted energy infrastructure as well as civilian and military facilities near the front line and the Russian border.
As a result of the attack, equipment at one of the electrical substations in central Ukraine operated by the state-owned energy operator Ukrenergo was damaged, the company said. Emergency repairs have reportedly started immediately after the air raid alert was deactivated.
The Energy Ministry clarified that the affected substation is located in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. A local enterprise was de-energized due to the damage to the substation, according to the ministry.
The drone attack also damaged electrical networks in the Semenivka community in Chernihiv Oblast bordering Russia, leading to power cut-offs at a substation and people's homes, the ministry added.
"Thanks to the concerted actions of energy workers and the military, the mass attack did not cause critical consequences for the balanced power system operation," Ukrenergo said on Telegram.
Over the winter of 2022-2023, Russia engaged in a persistent campaign to target Ukraine's energy infrastructure, causing large-scale outages and damage to the grid. Russia has continued a similar strategy this winter, escalating its attacks on energy facilities as the weather grew colder in 2023.
Vadym Skibitskyi, a representative of Ukraine's Military Intelligence (HUR), said on Jan. 15 that Russia's winter campaign of missile strikes is predominantly targeting Ukraine's military-industrial complex, marking a change from the previous winter's attacks on energy infrastructure.
Despite the apparent shift in strategy, Russian attacks still regularly damage or destroy equipment and facilities associated with Ukraine's energy production and transmission.
Nina Mishchenko
