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.
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.
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."
President Volodymyr Zelensky had a "constructive" phone call with United States President Donald Trump on May 8, discussing the war, continued pressure on Russia, and a potential ceasefire.
The survey, conducted between April 24 and May 4, shows that 56.9% of respondents would not be willing to compromise on either territorial integrity or Ukraine’s pro-Western direction in any potential talks with Moscow.
One of the alleged Russian agents detained by the SBU. Photo published on May 15, 2024. (Telegram/SBU)
Five men and one woman accused of helping Russian forces direct a missile attack on a residential building that killed ten people and injured over 80 have been arrested, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on May 15.
In a post on Telegram, the SBU said the alleged Russian agents helped coordinate a double-tap strike on the city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast, in August last year.
Ten people died in the attack, including several rescue workers who raced to the scene of the first missile, only to be hit by another around 40 minutes later.
"On their instructions, on Aug. 7, 2023, (Russian forces) carried out a double strike with 'Iskander' missiles on the city of Pokrovsk," the SBU said.
"(Russian forces) targeted an apartment building. When the police and rescuers arrived at the scene, (they) struck again."
The SBU said the six had also helped target Ukrainian forces in the Avdiivka direction.
The agency said all the suspects had been recruited through Telegram channels on which they posted anti-Ukraine content.
Though they acted separately, the SBU said their actions were all coordinated by a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) handler who has been identified.
All six have been charged with treason and face up to life in prison.
Chris York is news operations editor at the Kyiv Independent. Before joining the team, he was head of news at the Kyiv Post. Previously, back in Britain, he spent nearly a decade working for HuffPost UK. He holds an MA in Conflict, Development, and Security from the University of Leeds.
Chris York
