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.
Ukrainian soldiers drive a tank amid Russia-Ukraine war on the frontline of Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on March 29, 2023. (Muhammed Enes Yildirim/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Ukrainian military intelligence said that the supposed classified war documents recently leaked online were forged by Russia.
Russia or pro-Russian elements are likely behind the leak, undisclosed U.S. officials told Reuters on April 7.
"In recent decades, the most successful operations of the Russian special services took place in Photoshop," Ukraine's Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate spokesperson Andrii Yusov said on national television on April 7.
According to the New York Times, classified documents detailing U.S. and NATO plans for supplying aid to arm Ukraine for the upcoming counteroffensive were posted this week on Twitter and Telegram. Senior U.S. officials told the newspaper that this prompted an investigation by Pentagon.
The documents do not reveal details of when, how, or where Ukraine intends to launch its counteroffensive and are reportedly five weeks old.
According to military analysts with whom the New York Times spoke, the documents were likely modified from their original format, understating the casualties on the Russian side and overstating those on the Ukrainian side.
Yusov said the Russians may have forged documents to disrupt or slow down Western aid to Ukraine and that the losses figures on the documents were "false" from both sides, and some of the information in the documents appeared to originate from open sources.
The documents appear to have been altered to lower the number of Russian casualties, U.S. officials told Reuters, adding their assessments were separate from the investigation into the leak.
Biden officials told the newspaper that attempts to get the information deleted from social media had not yet proved successful.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
Francis Farrell
