Under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's rule, millions of Ukrainians died during the Holodomor, a man-made famine in 1932–1933. The dictator also oversaw mass deportations, purges of Ukrainian intellectuals and leaders, and the suppression of the Ukrainian language and culture.
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.
A combined harvester harvests wheat in a field in Ukraine. (stanvpetersen/Pixabay)
The 2022 winter crop harvest will be fruitful, according to experts cited by Agronews, a website specialized in agricultural news in Ukraine.
The forecast is based on the weather Ukraine has seen so far, as well as on the results of the tests run by agronomists.
The cold winter might help produce yet another good harvest for the country after this year’s record-breaking numbers.
Ukraine harvested 106 million tons of cereals, legumes, and oilseeds in 2021 thanks to favorable weather conditions. It was the biggest harvest the country’s ever had since its independence in 1991.
The record harvest included more than 84 million tons of cereals and legumes, as well as 22.6 million tons of oilseeds. The harvest exceeded the ministry’s preliminary forecast, estimated at 100 million tons for the year.
With 42 million hectares of farmland covering 70% of the country and about 25% of the world’s reserves of black soil, agriculture is Ukraine’s largest export industry.
Ukraine’s agribusiness sector remains the most promising sector of the economy.
Ukraine exported 17% more agricultural products between January and September 2021 than in the same period of 2020.
In other agriculture news:
The cost of buckwheat is gradually increasing, having grown by Hr 10 ($ 0.36 per kilo) over the past year. A pack of buckwheat now costs Hr 60 ($2.15) on average -- it's the highest-ever price on record, according to AgroNews. On Jan. 12, the Cabinet of Ministers announced it would manually regulate prices for a number of essential food items, including buckwheat, amid high inflation.
2021 was the worst year for Ukraine’s dairy industry in the last six years. Milk producers earned 14% less in 2021 than in 2020, according to experts.
The Economy Ministry raised the price of fuel by Hr 1 per liter starting Jan. 15, which means the prices of gasoline and diesel fuel, which is used in agricultural machinery, now reach up to Hr 30-31 ($1.2) per liter at Ukrainian gas stations.
Alexander Query is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent. He is the former business editor at the Kyiv Post. He worked as a TV correspondent and an anchorman at UATV in Ukraine, and received a BA in modern literature from La Sorbonne, in Paris.
