The approval marks a key step in international efforts to hold Moscow accountable for what is considered the gravest violation of international law committed against Ukraine.
Although Moscow declared on April 28 that it would halt all military actions from May 8 to midnight on May 11 to mark Victory Day, strikes on civilian areas have continued.
Under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's rule, millions of Ukrainians died during the Holodomor, a man-made famine in 1932–1933. The dictator also oversaw mass deportations, purges of Ukrainian intellectuals and leaders, and the suppression of the Ukrainian language and culture.
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."
In this photo illustration, a mobile phone shows Information about a male of conscription age in the Oberih register after updating the data in the Reserv+ application in Kyiv, Ukraine, on May 20, 2024. (Dmytro Larin/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Ukrainians liable for military service who fail to update their data by July 17 may be fined up to Hr 25,000 (nearly $600) or put on the wanted list.
Ukraine has made steps to update the legal framework around conscription to ramp up mobilization this year. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a new law on mobilization on April 16.
According to the newly implemented law, all military-aged men, with some exceptions, must update their military documents within 60 days from May 18 at public service centers and enlistment offices, or via the online application Rezerv+.
The deadline for updating one's data expires on July 17, 2024.
Fines will not be issued automatically, the General Staff said. According to Ukrainian law, a fine is imposed within three months of the detection of an offense.
If a citizen fails to pay the fine, the case can be transferred to the state enforcement service. Then the debtor's property or accounts may be seized, Iryna Harbuz, representative of the Central Legal Department of the General Staff, told Suspilne.
Men who have not updated their data and ignore the summons may be put on the wanted list, Deputy Defense Minister Kateryna Chernohorenko said in an interview with YouTube channel YePytannya.
Summonses that are being delivered by post will be considered as those that have been received, even if a recipient has not signed them, Chernohorenko added.
The General Staff explained that updating military data does not automatically mean a person must undergo a medical examination. Citizens will be sent additional summonses to undergo this procedure.
People liable for military service abroad can update their data through the Reserve+ app or contact consular offices, according to Harbuz.
Chernohorenko, in turn, said that Ukrainians abroad who did not update their data on time would also be subject to administrative fines, but it would be "more difficult to implement."
Though there is no unified mechanism that currently enforces it, Ukrainians abroad "retain ties with the state," so they must fulfil their constitutional obligations, the deputy minister added.
After July 16, conscripts can continue to update their data in any convenient way, and the Reserve+ system will still be available, according to Chernohorenko.
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.
Kateryna Hodunova
