"I myself have heard relatives talking: our village is being attacked, let's roll the car out of the garage, maybe they will shell it — at least we will get money. The car is old, we can't sell it," Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
The new tranche brings total recent EU defense support for Ukraine to 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion), marking a significant expansion of European efforts to boost Kyiv's defense industry.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
Both men face charges related to terrorism and espionage. Daniil B. was detained in Lithuania, where he is in temporary custody, while Oleksandr V. remains at large in Russia.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies discussed tougher sanctions against Russia's banking sector, central bank, and energy industry.
"We are ready for all options. But of course, we are separately waiting for a response on the ceasefire," a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Kyiv Independent.
The EU plans to unveil on May 14 its next package of sanctions imposed against Russia over its aggression against Ukraine, an EU official told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity.
Polish truckers plan to restrict freight traffic at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint on the Ukrainian border, Ukraine's State Border Guard said on May 12.
"If the Russians are using this level of specialists in urban combat, they are probably facing some difficulties," Ivan Petrychak, spokesperson for the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, said.
Previously, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused the Russian intelligence services of orchestrating a May 2024 arson attack on the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw.
"Perhaps in some areas, the intensity decreased slightly to create an image of compliance with their own announcement. But in reality, (Russia) continued attacks every day, using all available weapons — including aircraft to drop guided bombs on Ukraine," Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, said.
Beijing supports all efforts toward achieving peace in Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on May 12 when asked about Kyiv and Europe's proposal for a 30-day truce.
Illustrative purposes only: Officers from Kazakhstan look at the Orlan-30 multifunctional drone system with UAVs during the International Military Technical Forum 'Army 2022', on Aug. 15, 2022, in Kubinka, outside of Moscow, Russia. (Contributor/Getty Images)
A New York businessman pleaded guilty to attempting to sell more than $250,000 worth of sensitive dual-use goods to sanctioned Russian entities, the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Public Affairs said on April 30.
Despite extensive Western sanctions aimed at stifling Russia's arms production, Moscow continues to obtain sensitive dual-use goods through third-party countries, smuggling, and other illicit schemes.
Nikolay Grigorev, a 36-year-old Brooklyn resident, pleaded guilty to shipping components to companies affiliated with the Russian military. Co-defendants Nikita Arkhipov and Artem Oloviannikov remain at large, the statement read.
"In pleading guilty today, the defendant admitted he conspired to smuggle over $250,000 worth of sensitive American drone technology to Russian companies fueling (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's unlawful war against Ukraine," said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
"Swift action by agents and prosecutors unraveled a web of fake orders and wire transfers to prevent over 11,500 electronic components from making their way to the Russian war machine."
According to the indictment, Grigorev used a Brooklyn-based entity, Quality Life Cue LLC (QLC), to facilitate the scheme. Through QLC, the three defendants procured components for Russia-based companies – namely the sanctioned SMT-iLogic – involved in the production of drones for the war effort in Ukraine, according to U.S. authorities.
Between Oct. 22, 2021, and Feb. 22, 2022, Grigorev's accounts allegedly received payments from SMT-iLogic totaling around $272,830. The suspects' email communication reveals intent to circumvent U.S. sanctions, for example, through front companies in third countries, like Kazakhstan.
A search of Grigorev's residence in June 2023 uncovered over 11,500 electronic components awaiting illegal export to Russia. Grigorev was arrested on Nov. 1, 2023, and faces up to five years in prison.
The U.S. government imposed fresh sanctions against SMT-iLogic last September for its role in supplying drone technology components used in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
Andrii Kharuk
