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.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed their countries' relationship on May 8, vowing to increase cooperation in all areas, including military ties.
"There is Turkey, which maintains channels of communication. And then, above all, there is the People's Republic of China, which, more than anyone else, has the means to make (Russian President Vladimir) Putin come to the negotiating table and soften his demands," Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on May 8.
The United States will be ready to "walk away" from the negotiating table if it does not see Russia making progress in negotiation to end the war, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Fox News on May 8.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico arrived in Moscow on May 9 to celebrate Victory Day, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
US President Donald Trump on May 8 called for a "30-day unconditional ceasefire" between Ukraine and Russia. Writing on Truth Social, Trump expressed his hope for "an acceptable ceasefire," with both countries "held accountable for respecting the sanctity of... direct negotiations."
Photo for illustrative purposes only: Russia's Krasnodar Krai region pictured last year. (Courtesy)
Drones operated by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) struck a substation powering the Novovelychkovskaya oil pumping station in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai on Feb. 20, effectively disrupting its operations, a security source told the Kyiv Independent.
According to the source, the station is one of the "key facilities for transporting oil in the Kuban region, supplying the Afipsky and Ilysky oil refineries." Russian authorities are currently assessing the damage, the source said.
On Feb. 20, several local Russian media outlets and Telegram channels reported explosions in the Krasnodar Krai region, claiming Russian air defense repelled the drone attack and there was no fire.
"This is the eighth successful SBU special operation since the beginning of the year targeting Russia's oil refining and pumping facilities. Each such explosion results in multimillion-dollar losses for Russia and complicates the provision of fuel to the Russian army," the source said.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
Ukraine routinely launches deep strikes against military and industrial facilities in Russia, primarily relying on domestically developed drones. Kyiv has particularly taken aim at Russia's fossil fuel infrastructure as part of its strategy to undermine funding for the Kremlin's war chest.
Kateryna Denisova
