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."
A ship moored in the Black Sea port of Odesa within the framework of the grain corridor, on Feb. 20, 2023, southern Ukraine. (Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Russian forces attacked Odesa the night of Nov. 5, injuring five residents, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper reported via Telegram.
All five victims have been hospitalized with shrapnel wounds, Kiper said.
Numerous explosions were heard in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa on Sunday evening as Russia launched a wave of attacks in southern Ukraine, Ukrainian media Suspilne reported.
The Ukrainian Air Force first warned of a missile travelling in the direction of Odesa around 9 p.m. in the evening. Soon after, several groups of Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones were reported to be flying in the direction of southern Ukraine.
“The first group of 'Shaheds' is moving along the Ukrainian-Moldovan border to the northwest. The second group is located north of Odesa, moving north. Three more groups are approaching Odesa from the Black Sea,” the Air Force wrote on Telegram at 10 p.m.
By 11:30 p.m., the all-clear was announced in Odesa Oblast.
Local Telegram channels have so far reported several hits in the city, but this information can not yet be independently verified.
Photos posted by local media also showed windows blown out by the shockwaves, while a local resident told the Kyiv Independent that the train carriage she was in at the station was rocked by the blasts.
Authorities and local media also reported that Ukrainian air defense was active in the region.
Explosions were also reported in Kherson, 143 kilometers east of Odesa.
The Air Force also warned of ballistic missiles in the direction of Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia.
Russia launched multiple attacks across southern Ukraine on Nov. 5.
Earlier in the day, Russian forces struck an infrastructure facility in Odesa Oblast with a Kh-31P missile launched from the Black Sea, wounding three people.
The strike damaged administrative buildings and surrounding houses, the military said, adding that Russia's priority in the area is obstructing the movement of civilian maritime traffic.
Russian troops also launched over 50 guided aerial bombs against Kherson Oblast over the weekend, hitting settlements.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported that Russian troops dropped a guided aerial bomb at a village school in Kherson Oblast's Darivka district. There were no casualties, Klymenko said. However, apart from the school, the attack also damaged six nearby houses.
Anastasia Vlasova
