During reconnaissance in an unspecified front-line sector, Special Operations Forces' operators detected Buk-M3 and Uragan-1 on combat duty, the unit said.
The suspect quit his job at the Rivne NPP before the full-scale war began. In the spring of 2025, a GRU liaison contacted him and offered cooperation in exchange for money.
President Volodymyr Zelensky would not meet any other Russian official apart from Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul this week, presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said on the Breakfast Show program on May 13.
U.S. and European officials held talks on May 12, during which Washington made it clear that it wanted to allow talks between Russia and Ukraine before increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin, sources told Bloomberg.
According to Steve Witkoff, the key topics in the peace discussions are the fate of the five partially or fully occupied Ukrainian regions, the status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and Ukraine's access to the Dnipro River and the Black Sea.
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa is reportedly offering a deal that would give U.S. companies access to Syria's natural wealth, reminiscent of the minerals agreement Washington recently signed with Kyiv.
Russia attacked Ukraine with drones and guided bombs during the night, targeting multiple regions after the May 12 deadline for an unconditional ceasefire expired.
"Only member states can take out loans within the 150 billion euros instrument, but they can use these funds for joint procurement with Ukraine," EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said.
"We agreed to pursue ambitious measures to reduce Russia's ability to wage war by limiting Kremlin revenues, disrupting the shadow fleet, tightening the Oil Price Cap, and reducing our remaining imports of Russian energy."
Zelensky on May 12 removed Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk from the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for all branches of Ukraine's defense apparatus.
Ukraine remains the most mined country in the world. Nearly one-third of Ukraine's territory, approximately 174,000 square kilometers, had been mined since Russia began its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks next to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the first plenary session at the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace on July 18, 2024, in Woodstock, England. (Kin Cheung - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Britain's new prime minister, Keir Starmer, said that it is "very important" to ensure that Europe's industrial strategy can support Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression, as concerns over the long-term commitment of the U.S. continue to mount.
Speaking on July 18 at a press conference after the Fourth European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace in the U.K., Starmer said he would "not preempt" the results of the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
"I can't underscore enough the shared commitment here today… and I'm really proud of the role that we've played in relation to Ukraine.
"I'm not going to preempt what may happen in the elections later this year, other than to say that industrial strategy is a very important component of the package that we need to put together."
Former U.S. President and Republican nominee Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to end Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine within 24 hours if elected but has not publicly elaborated on how he plans to do so. One plan reportedly involves ceding territory to Russia.
Senator J.D. Vance, who was recently chosen as Trump's running mate, is thought to be an even more outspoken opponent of U.S. support for Ukraine, and has openly endorsed territorial concessions as part of a potential peace deal.
European countries have been taking steps to counter the possibility that the U.S. may not be a reliable partner for European security and in backing Ukraine if Trump wins the upcoming presidential election.
In March, the European Commission presented the first-ever European Defense Industrial Strategy (EDIS) at the EU level to support the competitiveness and readiness of the bloc's defense industry.
As part of the strategy, the commission proposes developing closer ties with Ukraine through its participation in the bloc’s initiatives to support the defense industry and stimulating cooperation between the EU and Ukrainian defense sectors.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Chris York
