Melkonyants was arrested in August 2023 in connection with the activities of the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO), which was co-founded by Golos's legal predecessor, the Golos association.
Ukraine's underground storage facilities are currently using 19.4% of their capacity. Almost 32%, or 2.79 bcm, less gas is available in the storages than in the previous year, according to the estimates.
The majority of Ukrainians, 71%, do not support holding elections before a full peace deal, even in the case of a ceasefire and security guarantees, according to a poll published by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) on May 14.
"He'd like me to be there, and that's a possibility. ... I don't know that he would be there if I'm not there. We're going to find out," U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling to Qatar, Reuters reported.
Trump has long demanded that NATO allies increase their military spending, previously calling for the alliance to raise its benchmark from 2% to 5% of GDP.
More than 1,000 Russian government entities and 1,200 private companies are involved in the economy of occupied Mariupol, a major southeastern city occupied by Russia after it invaded Ukraine in 2022, according to a research paper published on May 14.
The measures target almost 200 ships of Russia's "shadow fleet," 30 companies involved in sanctions evasion, 75 sanctions on entities and individuals linked to the Russian military-industrial complex, and more.
The government has approved "reform roadmaps in the rule of law, public administration, and democratic institutions, as well as Ukraine’s negotiation position," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
The statement did not name the ex-official by name, but details of the case indicate it relates to Oleh Hladkovsky, a former deputy secretary of Ukraine's top security body who has been wanted since mid-April.
Brazilian President Lula da Silva claimed that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had appealed to his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, to ask Putin if he was willing to conclude a peace agreement.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in South Africa or an official visit overnight on April 24, 2025. (Volodymyr Zelensky/X)
Editor's note: The article was expanded with Zelensky's comments on Russia's aerial attack on Ukraine.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in South Africa to meet his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, and other representatives of African countries, Zelensky said on April 24.
"It is crucial to bring a just peace closer. We are working to ensure that the G20 countries are actively engaged in diplomatic efforts," Zelensky said.
"We count on South Africa’s meaningful participation in the International Coalition for the return of thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. We will also certainly strengthen our cultural and educational ties."
South Africa, the continent's largest economy that currently chairs the G20 group, has maintained a neutral stance in the war while deepening its economic and political ties with Moscow.
The country is a member of the BRICS group alongside Russia and China and conducted joint naval drills with both nations while resisting Western calls to distance itself from the Kremlin.
Kyiv has sought to bolster ties with African countries to engage them in the peace efforts and counter Russian influence on the continent.
A day before Zelensky's visit, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said that a Ukrainian delegation of ministers and business leaders paid an official visit to South Africa for the first time, aiming to build business partnerships.
"Our trade relations with this region have enormous potential for development," Svyrydenko said.
"Last year, the total volume of bilateral trade in goods between Ukraine and South Africa amounted to $113.9 million," the minister continued, pointing out that these are small figures but adding that South African imports represent a "lion's share" of this sum.
Zelensky's visit to South Africa coincided with a massive Russian aerial attack against Ukraine that killed at least nine people and injured over 70 in Kyiv.
Commenting on the strike, Zelensky announced he would cancel part of his program and "immediately" head back to Ukraine after meeting with Ramaphosa.
The Ukrainian president also said he instructed Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to request additional air defense support from international partners.
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.
Chris York
