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."
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.
A view of the smoke rising after a missile attack by Russia on Jan. 2, 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)
Recent Russian long-range strikes against Ukraine primarily targeted defense industry targets, in contrast with last year's attacks that prioritized energy infrastructure, the U.K. Defense Ministry said in its latest intelligence report on Jan. 3.
Moscow began intensifying its attacks against Ukrainian cities in recent days, launching particularly massive waves of drones and missiles on Dec. 29 and Jan. 2.
This possibly temporary shift in strategy indicates that Russia recognizes the importance of relative defense industrial capacity in anticipation of a protracted war, the U.K. Defense Ministry believes.
Ukrainian officials said the country will ramp up domestic defense production in 2024. Deputy Defense Minister Ivan Havryliuk revealed last November that the manufacturing of missiles and other arms is expected to increase several times this year.
According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine will produce 1 million drones in 2024, recognizing the importance of this weaponry on Ukrainian battlefields.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov also noted that Kyiv plans to prioritize domestic arms production and invited foreign partners to get involved in making arms in Ukraine.
In spite of this, Ukraine's energy infrastructure has not been left untouched by Russian attacks in recent weeks.
The U.K. Defense Ministry estimated earlier that Russian strikes on Dec. 7 marked the start of a concentrated campaign targeting energy infrastructure. However, these were not followed up by attacks on the scale of those Ukraine saw in the past few days.
Following the Jan. 2 strikes, Ukraine's Air Force said that Moscow targeted both industrial and military facilities and critical infrastructure. Power lines were damaged in Kyiv Oblast, causing outages and temporarily leaving 260,000 residents without electricity.
During the previous winter, Russian attacks aimed to heavily degrade Ukraine's energy grid, causing blackouts amid freezing temperatures.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Alexander Query
