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.
The phone call comes as Moscow once again rejected a 30-day ceasefire, with Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova claiming that a ceasefire would give "Kyiv a break to restore its military potential and continue its confrontation with Russia."
The Epicenter hypermarket burned down in a residential area in the north of Kharkiv after two guided bombs hit at around 16:00 on May 25, 2024. (Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Russia has dropped nearly 10,000 guided bombs in Ukraine since the start of the year, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on May 25.
Umerov called for more air defense and said that Kyiv is discussing this with allies “every day and at every opportunity.”
He expressed condolences to the families of the dead and wounded following Russia’s attack with two guided bombs on a hypermarket in Kharkiv on May 25, which killed at least 16 and injured over 40 people.
“This is a deliberate killing of the civilian population,” Umerov wrote on Facebook, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of “another act of genocide.”
Russia typically uses laser-guided or satellite-guided KAB bombs, with payloads ranging from 250 to 1,500 kilograms, against Ukrainian military and civilian targets.
Soviet-era dumb bombs are fitted with cheap gliding kits, allowing them to fly much further and more accurately.
Kharkiv and the surrounding oblast have suffered particularly heavy attacks from guided bombs in recent months. At least 15 people were injured on Orthodox Easter Sunday after a bomb hit a residential area in downtown Kharkiv.
The European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell said the May 25 attack on Kharkiv emphasizes Ukraine's urgent need for additional air defense systems and called on European countries to provide assistance.
Borrell's plea echoes that of Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who asked allies to send Patriot air defense systems following news of Russia's attack.
President Volodymyr Zelensky also reiterated the importance of air defense weapons in the aftermath of the hypermarket bombing.
Dominic is the business reporter for the Kyiv Independent. He has written for a number of publications including the Financial Times, bne IntelliNews, Radio Free Europe/Liberty, Euronews and New Eastern Europe. Previously, Dominic worked with StopFake as a disinformation expert, debunking Russian fake news in Europe.
Dinara Khalilova
