A day of mourning was being observed in Kyiv on May 15.

Key developments on May 15: * Russia plans to strike President's Office building and state residence, Zelensky says * Massive fire erupts at Russia's Ryazan oil refinery as Ukrainian drone blitz hits multiple targets, oblasts * 205 Ukrainian POWs return from Russian captivity in latest exchange * Russia plans to attack Ukraine or NATO from Belarus, Zelensky says * Russian military unit documents own war crime, milblogger publishes then deletes video * Zelensky pays respects to victims of

"The Russians are not hiding it, they are war criminals, and anyone who wants to strike a deal with them is an accomplice to these crimes," Serhii Sternenko wrote on X on May 15.

Almost all of the Ukrainian POWs who returned home had been held under Russian captivity for four years.

A state-owned bank that formerly belonged to a Russian oligarch is at the center of a spiraling corruption scandal implicating several people close to President Volodymyr Zelensky. In transcripts of recorded conversations published by Ukrainian media outlet Ukrainska Pravda in the first weeks of May, two businessmen with ties to close friends of Zelensky discuss potential candidates for the board of Sense Bank — appearing to exert influence over a process that should be free of outside interfer

Kyiv announced a day of mourning after 24 people, including three children, were killed in the attack.

Corruption is back at the top of the news in Ukraine, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. The latest accusations against Andriy Yermak, the former Head of the Presidential Office, do not indicate an increase in corruption, as naysayers claim. This achievement is a remarkable victory for the autonomous anti-corruption architecture that we have carefully built since the 2014 Revolution of Dignity. Andriy Yermak was neither a normal high-ranking bureaucrat nor a regular official. He was the

Documents and satellite images posted by President Volodymyr Zelensky suggest that the Kremlin plans to attack the President's Office in Kyiv and the president's state residence in Koncha Zaspa.

Patrick Fragman, the former CEO of U.S. nuclear energy firm Westinghouse Electric Company, resigned from his position at Energoatom, which operates Ukraine’s three working nuclear power plants, less than five months after being appointed to the board, the company announced on May 15.

According to Zelensky, Moscow has made fresh contact with Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, in an effort to convince him to "join new acts acts of aggression."

Under the new methodology, Russian President Vladimir Putin's approval rating rose for the first time since December.

Among the victims killed were three children, including a 12-year-old child, according to the State Emergency Service. Forty-seven people were reported injured as well.

Ukraine's military reportedly launched a large-scale drone attack overnight on May 15, striking Russian military and energy infrastructure in multiple regions of Russia, Russian Telegram media channels reported.

Ukraine has consistently qualified for the Eurovision final since it began participating in 2003 and won in 2004 with Ruslana's "Wild Dances," in 2016 with Jamala's "1944," and in 2022 with Kalush Orchestra's "Stefania."

36 countries and the European Union have committed to supporting the Special Tribunal, and the Netherlands has carried out preparatory work to host the court in The Hague.

The number includes 1,150 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

The Pentagon has abruptly cancelled a planned deployment of 4,000 U.S. troops to Poland, as concerns over the reliability of U.S. military commitments to European allies continue to increase.

Russia's prison population has fallen by nearly 40% over five years, a decline driven in part by Moscow's recruitment of prisoners to fight in Ukraine.

The IAEA reported an increase in drone activity near several Ukrainian nuclear power plants this week, with more than 160 UAVs recorded on May 13-14.

Key developments on May 14: * Zelensky instructs military to prepare response to Russia's deadly Kyiv attack * Russia 'ripping off' Ukraine's drone forces success, Unmanned Systems Forces commander says * Ukraine's military now 'strongest, most powerful' in Europe, Rubio says * 'Teachers told children Ukraine does not exist' — Kyiv brings back 8 children from Russian-occupied territories Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the latest casualty count as provided by Ukraine'

In a closed Telegram chat for parents of students at Bauman Moscow State Technical University (the Russian analog of MIT), a mother shares her son's story. The young man failed one exam before the qualification commission and was unable to take an academic leave. After that, the only thing left for him was the risk of losing his student status and being drafted into the army. At the military enlistment office on Yablochkov Street in Russia's capital, the medical examination lasted seven hours

Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina announced on May 14 that she would resign after a political crisis triggered by the incursion of Ukrainian drones into Latvian airspace exposed deep tensions inside the country's ruling coalition. "I led this government because people needed stability," Silina said. "I am stepping down, but I am not giving up. And I am not leaving." Her resignation plunged Latvia into political uncertainty. The incident quickly evolved into a full-scale political crisis, ex

"The Russians are losing five times as many soldiers a month as the Ukrainians are," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

The bipartisan legislation would reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraine, expand sanctions against Russia, and authorize additional military and financial assistance for Kyiv.

Once one of Moscow's closest allies in the South Caucasus, Armenia has recently handed the Kremlin a series of diplomatic humiliations. Not only did Yerevan host the first Armenia-EU summit on May 4-5, but one of the guests was President Volodymyr Zelensky, marking his first official trip to the country. The state visit by the Ukrainian leader, whose country has been resisting Russia's full-scale invasion for over four years, sparked fury in the Kremlin. Moscow demands an explanation for plat

After presiding over the smallest Victory Day parade of his rule, Russian President Vladimir Putin shifted tone on his country's war against Ukraine. "I think (the war in Ukraine) is coming to an end," Putin told journalists on May 9 — a statement that drew attention because it was the first of its kind in four years. Putin also avoided many of the triumphalist talking points that have defined his public appearances. And for perhaps the first time in years, he publicly referred to President Vo

"Russia must do everything in its power to secure an immediate ceasefire," Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban said.

Using deep strikes not only militarily but also as leverage in negotiations, Kyiv is now proposing an "airport ceasefire" with Russia. The proposal comes as Ukrainian long-range drone attacks continue to disrupt Russian air traffic. On May 8, a Ukrainian strike in Russia’s Rostov region damaged a regional air traffic control center coordinating flights across southern Russia, affecting operations at 13 airports and affecting around 200 flights. The disruption was significant enough for Russian

The size of Russia's drone component had grown by 28,000 over 2026, Brovdi said in an interview to Ukrainska Pravda published on May 14.

"Yet thousands of children remain trapped, forced to forget their roots while being openly prepared for war. But we will not stop," Save Ukraine stated.

The number includes 1,060 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said the "aggressive action" was intended to test Poland's air defense systems.