In an interview with French broadcaster TF1 on May 13, Macron discussed new Russia sanctions and stationing French nuclear weapons in other European countries as a deterrent against Russia.
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 purposes: Image of a biohazard symbol against a concrete wall. (Getty Images)
Satellite imagery shows signs of a major renovation and expansion at a restricted military facility near Moscow that once housed a Cold War biological weapons program, the Washington Post (WP) reported on Oct. 25.
Sergiyev Posad-6, a military site northeast of Moscow, was a Soviet biological weapons research center during the Cold War. The Soviet military used the lab to experiment with weaponizing the viruses that cause smallpox and Ebola, among others.
Shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, satellite imagery indicated massive construction and renovation at the Sergiyev Posad-6 site, the WP reported, citing photos from imaging firms Planet Labs and Maxar. The expansion amounts to over 250,000 square feet and 10 new buildings.
According to experts in biodefense, the military, and satellite imaging who spoke to the WP, the facilities harbor some of the distinctive features of high-security biological labs that handle dangerous pathogens.
Among these features are extensive rooftop air handling units, underground infrastructure, heightened security, and a possible power plant. The layout is "consistent with lab design" and suggests "maximum containment" labs, one expert said.
"The upgrades are consistent with this secure, top-secret military biological facility's historic role in developing viral biological weapons," said Andrew Weber, a former Pentagon official and senior fellow at the Council on Strategic Risks.
Russian officials have said that the purpose of the labs is to study Ebola viruses and other deadly microbes in order to protect Russia from possible bioterrorism.
The expansion at Sergiyev Posad-6 coincides with a Russian disinformation campaign in the early months of the full-scale invasion, when the Kremlin falsely accused Ukraine of developing biological weapons.
Officials told the WP that it is impossible to tell from the satellite photos whether Russia plans to use the Sergiyev Posad-6 labs to research and develop biological weapons.
Biological warfare is banned under international law. While there is no evidence Russia has used such weapons in its war against Ukraine, Kyiv has accused Moscow of launching thousands of chemical weapons attacks during its ongoing invasion. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also repeatedly resorted to nuclear blackmail to deter Ukraine's Western allies from a more aggressive response.
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.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
