Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko's statement came as Strong Shield 5 exercises involving military personnel from other NATO countries began in Lithuania.
"Amendments to the Budget Code are needed to implement the provisions on funding the U.S.-Ukrainian Reconstruction Investment Fund," lawmaker Roksolana Pidlasa said.
During reconnaissance in an unspecified front-line sector, Special Operations Forces' operators detected Buk-M3 and Uragan-1 on combat duty, the unit said.
The suspect quit his job at the Rivne NPP before the full-scale war began. In the spring of 2025, a GRU liaison contacted him and offered cooperation in exchange for money.
President Volodymyr Zelensky would not meet any other Russian official apart from Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul this week, presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said on the Breakfast Show program on May 13.
U.S. and European officials held talks on May 12, during which Washington made it clear that it wanted to allow talks between Russia and Ukraine before increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin, sources told Bloomberg.
According to Steve Witkoff, the key topics in the peace discussions are the fate of the five partially or fully occupied Ukrainian regions, the status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and Ukraine's access to the Dnipro River and the Black Sea.
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa is reportedly offering a deal that would give U.S. companies access to Syria's natural wealth, reminiscent of the minerals agreement Washington recently signed with Kyiv.
Russia attacked Ukraine with drones and guided bombs during the night, targeting multiple regions after the May 12 deadline for an unconditional ceasefire expired.
"Only member states can take out loans within the 150 billion euros instrument, but they can use these funds for joint procurement with Ukraine," EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said.
An M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle was spotted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. (President Volodymyr Zelensky/Telegram)
The Ukrainian military has apparently received the M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) built on the framework of the Abrams tank.
Several photos posted by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Nov. 3 to commemorate the Day of Missile Forces and Artillery and Engineering Troops revealed a vehicle resembling a hybrid of a tank and a heavy-duty harvesting machine. The U.S.-made assault breacher is set to play a crucial role in assisting Ukrainian troops in the daunting task of clearing the extensive network of minefields established by the Russian forces over hundreds of kilometers.
It is not clear how the vehicle arrived in Ukraine since there are no M1150s specifically noted on the list of items the Pentagon has provided for the country. It likely falls into the category of "mine clearing equipment" contained among the nearly $45 billion in security assistance provided to Ukraine by the Biden Administration, according to Forbes.
The U.S. Army describes the M1150 ABV as a “highly mobile and heavily armored minefield and complex obstacle breaching system." It consists of an M1A1 Abrams tank hull; a turret with two Linear Demolition Charge Systems; a Lane Marking System; Integrated Vision System; and a High Lift Adapter that interchangeably mounts a Full Width Mine Plow or a Combat Dozer Blade.
The two-member team of a $4-million Assault Breacher possesses the ability to unearth and safely neutralize hidden mines, fill trenches, and excavate anti-tank barriers. Moreover, they can designate a secure path for tanks and combat vehicles to pass through the breach by placing small flags, all while remaining inside the heavily armored vehicle for protection.
Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.
Nate Ostiller
