More than 1,000 Russian government entities and 1,200 private companies are involved in the economy of occupied Mariupol, a major southeastern city occupied by Russia after it invaded Ukraine in 2022, according to a research paper published on May 14.
The measures target almost 200 ships of Russia's "shadow fleet," 30 companies involved in sanctions evasion, 75 sanctions on entities and individuals linked to the Russian military-industrial complex, and more.
The government has approved "reform roadmaps in the rule of law, public administration, and democratic institutions, as well as Ukraine’s negotiation position," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
The statement did not name the ex-official by name, but details of the case indicate it relates to Oleh Hladkovsky, a former deputy secretary of Ukraine's top security body who has been wanted since mid-April.
Brazilian President Lula da Silva claimed that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had appealed to his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, to ask Putin if he was willing to conclude a peace agreement.
"Trump needs to believe that Putin actually lies," Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv. "And we should do our part. Sensibly approach this issue, to show that it’s not us that is slowing down the process."
The EU plans to significantly increase tariffs on Ukrainian goods after the current duty-free deal lapses on June 6, the Financial Times reported on May 14, citing undisclosed diplomatic sources.
The blockade ended at 10:30 p.m. local time. Truck traffic in both directions is now moving as usual, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard's statement.
Russia seems to be preparing a significant offensive in Ukraine as it is moving troops toward key positions on the front, the Financial Times reported on May 13, citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials.
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.
Pilots of the "Sharp Kartuzy" division of FPV (first-person-view) kamikaze drones prepare drones for a combat flight on May 16, 2024, in Kharkiv Oblast. (Photo by Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)
Ukraine is increasing the supply of drones to the army and may have gotten ahead of Russia in terms of their number, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces Vadym Sukharevskyi told Army TV.
Kyiv is working to scale up domestic production of unmanned aerial vehicles, aiming to produce at least 1 million drones in 2024.
In the first half of 2024, Ukrainian soldiers received six times more drones than last year, Sukharevskyi said in an interview published on July 18.
"And this is a joint victory of both the General Staff and the Defense Ministry," he added.
According to Sukharevskyi, Ukraine has more than 165 drones of various types that are being tested and used on the battlefield now.
“In terms of the number of drones, we are clearly not losing, and we may have even surpassed (Russia). But, for example, the ties between Russia and China give (Russia) a greater advantage in terms of replacing components,” the colonel said.
Throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine and Russia have heavily invested in drone technology, revolutionizing warfare. For outnumbered Ukrainian forces, drones have been one of the key weapons to strike Russian warships, naval bases, oil refineries, and airfields inside occupied territories and deep behind enemy lines.
Kyiv officially presented its Unmanned Systems Forces on June 11, four months after President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a decree ordering the creation of a separate branch of the armed forces tasked with improving drone operations.
Alexander Khrebet
