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.
"We agreed to pursue ambitious measures to reduce Russia's ability to wage war by limiting Kremlin revenues, disrupting the shadow fleet, tightening the Oil Price Cap, and reducing our remaining imports of Russian energy."
Zelensky on May 12 removed Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk from the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for all branches of Ukraine's defense apparatus.
Ukraine remains the most mined country in the world. Nearly one-third of Ukraine's territory, approximately 174,000 square kilometers, had been mined since Russia began its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban attends a joint press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade, Serbia, on Sept. 29, 2023. (Milos Miskov/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Hungary is facing a fuel shortage following Ukraine's decision to ban Russian oil passing through its territory.
In June, Kyiv imposed sanctions blocking the transit of pipeline oil from Lukoil to Central Europe to cut off the Kremlin's source of income used to support its military. Yet, Ukraine's ban does not apply to other Russian oil exporters who still use the pipeline.
The restrictions have created supply shortages in Budapest, which depends on Russia for 70% of its oil supply, with Lukoil providing half of that volume, according to Politico.
Following Ukraine's move, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said this measure could threaten Hungary's long-term energy security.
"Ukrainian authorities showed a willingness to find a solution to the situation, but these attempts have faded since," Szijjarto said.
During the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier in the week, Szijjarto said Budapest had begun talks with Moscow to find alternative supplies of Russian oil.
Later, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov accused Kyiv of making a "political decision." Peskov claimed the situation is "critical" for those still purchasing Russian oil.
Ilona Gizinska, a researcher and Hungary expert at the Centre for Eastern Studies, told Politico that Kyiv's ban could create "a severe situation." Hungarians could face sky-high energy prices and electricity shortages in just "weeks" unless a solution will be found, she added.
Hungary could negotiate more imports with Rosneft or ramp up supplies from Croatia via the Adria Pipeline, according to Gizinska. Budapest also has its emergency strategic reserves, which have enough oil for 90 days, she added.
Lukoil is one of several Russian companies that supply oil to Hungary and Slovakia through the southern part of the Druzhba Pipeline in Ukraine. On July 18, the transit stopped.
Lawmaker Inna Sovsun, who belongs to the Holos (The Voice) political faction and sits on the parliament's energy committee, said that Ukraine has now "taken the matter into its own hands," Politico reported.
"We have been waiting for over two years for the EU, for the G7, to introduce real sanctions against Russian oil," she said.
"It's actually absurd to allow them to make this money by transporting this oil through Ukrainian territory if the money is then being used to kill us," Sovsun said, adding that Moscow made $180 billion from its oil exports last year.
Sovsun allegedly hinted that the ban also aims to overturn Hungary's opposition to weapons deliveries to Ukraine and the country's accession to the EU, according to Politico.
Hungary has remained Russia's closest ally within the EU and has repeatedly opposed Ukraine's accession toNATO and the EU, opposed sanctions on Russia, and undermined Western aid efforts for Ukraine.
Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Mykola Kolisnyk
