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.
Russian soldiers patrol a street on April 11, 2022, in Volnovakha in Donetsk Oblast. The picture was taken during a trip organized by the Russian military. (Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images)
The Russian army is not receiving enough new soldiers to keep up with losses at the front, which are the heaviest since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 13, citing undisclosed sources "close to the Kremlin and Russian Defense Ministry."
The need to replenish the military reserve became more acute amid Ukraine's incursion in the border areas of Russia's Kursk and Belgorod oblasts.
The situation may force Russia to consider a new mobilization, Bloomberg reported, citing two sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Officials may present it as a rotation to give the military on the front line a rest, and the draft could be announced by the end of this year, according to the sources.
Regional officials are currently unable to meet more a third of their conscription quotas on average, a person familiar with the situation told the media outlet.
The Ukrainian military launched a surprise incursion across the border into Kursk Oblast on Aug. 6, bringing regular Ukrainian forces into Russia for the first time.
Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, reported that Ukrainian forces control around 1,000 square kilometers in Kursk Oblast. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify this claim.
Moscow's inability to quickly repel the Ukrainian attack and regain control of its border revealed a lack of available reserves, part of broader manpower strains felt accross the military.
The deepening shortage of soldiers for the war in Ukraine is prompting Russia to raise conscripts' pay.
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War Notes
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on July 31 ordered an increase in the sign-on bonus for new military recruits to serve in Ukraine to 400,000 rubles (over $4,600).
The presidential decree effectively doubled the lump-sum payment of 195,000 ($2,260) rubles initially promised to recruits in September 2022.
The increased bonus will be eligible for all Russian citizens and foreigners who signed up for one-year service between Aug. 1 and the end of 2024.
The document says the payment is intended to provide "additional means of social support" for soldiers and their families. It also recommends that Russian occupation authorities in Ukraine offer an additional sum of 400,000 rubles.
Regional authorities across Russia have already begun offering other financial incentives for potential recruits.
The pressure to fill recruitment quotas is so intense that rich regions are luring people from poorer regions to sign contracts with them so they can claim more significant bonuses, one of the sources said.
Some regions are seeking subsidies from the government to help them fulfil Putin's demand because they cannot raise money locally, an official familiar with the situation said.
The scale of Russian losses and insufficient replacement rates are making it increasingly difficult to maintain the current strategy of slowly reversing gains in Ukraine.
Seizing Kyiv and other cities is no longer in discussion, as Russia does not have enough troops, the source told Bloomberg.
The military's demand for men has also led to an accelerating wage race with businesses as the labor shortage in the Russian economy worsens.
Chris York
