In an interview with French broadcaster TF1 on May 13, Macron discussed new Russia sanctions and stationing French nuclear weapons in other European countries as a deterrent against Russia.
Performing their song "Bird of Pray," Ukrainian band Ziferblat passed the Eurovision semi-finals on May 13, qualifying Ukraine for the grand final on May 17.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a Russian delegation will be in Istanbul on May 15 for direct peace talks with Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov will likely represent Russia.
The move follows Ukraine's ratification of the minerals agreement, deepening U.S.-Ukraine economic ties and signaling expanded U.S. involvement in Ukraine's long-term recovery.
"Ukraine has initiated a coordinated campaign to vilify Hungary in order to undermine our initiative to hold a poll on (Kyiv's) EU membership," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that further concessions from Ukraine during negotiations would be unreasonable if Russia continues to attack civilian targets.
U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, will travel to Istanbul for possible peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, Reuters reported on May 13, citing three undisclosed sources.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, but said both leaders are ready to fly to Istanbul if Russian President Vladimir Putin chooses to attend the talks there.
A Russian Orlan-10 reconnaissance drone moments before being hit by Ukrainian forces on Sept. 7, 2024, in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. (3rd Tank Brigade/Facebook)
Soldiers of Ukraine's 3rd Tank Brigade shot down a Russian Orlan reconnaissance drone at a record altitude of 3,620 meters, the Ukrainian military said on Sept. 9.
The Orlan is a Russian-developed reconnaissance drone widely used by Russia in Ukraine. Feared by Ukrainian soldiers, it often serves to target Russian artillery attacks. It can travel 600 kilometers and climb to an altitude of 5,000 meters.
"(The hit) took place on Sept. 7 in Kharkiv Oblast. Once the enemy Orlan-10 drone was spotted, the Voron missile artillery group rushed to the area," the 3rd Brigade said on Facebook.
The Russian drone's altitude and trajectory were established in cooperation with Ukrainian border guard units. Then, one soldier prepared the necessary "equipment," and two more service members began to "hunt" the unmanned aircraft, the unit said.
The record height! Ukrainian warriors shot down a russian Orlan reconnaissance UAV at an altitude of 3,620 meters.
According to the 3rd Brigade, shooting down the drone was particularly difficult due to its altitude and because it kept changing its position and direction.
The weaponry used in the attack was not specified, but the 3rd Brigade published a first-person-view (FPV) video of what may be another drone ramming into the Russian Orlan. This was the first high-altitude Russian drone shot down by the 3rd Tank Brigade.
The Ukrainian military has recently boasted about a number of new drone innovations that are being deployed against Moscow's troops. This included drones firing small arms or dispersing thermite against Russian positions.
Ukrainian FPV drones have also been repeatedly used to target Russian reconnaissance drones and helicopters.
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.
Chris York
