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.
"Trump needs to believe that Putin actually lies," Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv. "And we should do our part. Sensibly approach this issue, to show that it’s not us that is slowing down the process."
The EU plans to significantly increase tariffs on Ukrainian goods after the current duty-free deal lapses on June 6, the Financial Times reported on May 14, citing undisclosed diplomatic sources.
The blockade ended at 10:30 p.m. local time. Truck traffic in both directions is now moving as usual, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard's statement.
Russia seems to be preparing a significant offensive in Ukraine as it is moving troops toward key positions on the front, the Financial Times reported on May 13, citing undisclosed Ukrainian intelligence officials.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, but said both leaders are ready to fly to Istanbul if Russian President Vladimir Putin chooses to attend the talks there.
An employee handles 155 mm caliber shells after the manufacturing process at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant (SCAAP) in Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S. on April 16, 2024. (Charly Truballeau / AFP via Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelensky visited a Pennsylvania ammunition factory under tight security on Sept. 22 to personally thank the workers producing some of the most crucial munitions for Ukraine’s defense against Russian forces.
Rep. Matt Cartwright, a Democrat who greeted Zelensky at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant, shared the president’s straightforward message: "Thank you. And we need more," the Associated Press reported.
The Scranton facility, one of the few in the U.S. manufacturing 155 mm artillery shells, has ramped up production over the past year. The Pennsylvania factory announced in August that it was boosting production of 155 mm artillery shells from 24,000 rounds per month to 36,000. Ukraine has already received over three million of these shells from the U.S.
The 155 mm shells produced at the Scranton plant are designed for howitzer systems, large towed guns with long barrels capable of firing at different angles. These howitzers can hit targets from 24 to 32 kilometers (15 to 20 miles) away, making them crucial for ground forces to destroy enemy positions from a safe distance.
Zelensky said he conveyed his appreciation to all the workers at the plant.
"It is in places like this where you can truly feel that the democratic world can prevail," he wrote on X. "Thanks to people like these — in Ukraine, in America, and in all partner countries — who work tirelessly to ensure that life is protected."
Zelensky is set to address the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 24 and 25, before heading to Washington on Sept. 26 for meetings with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. His visit aims to bolster ongoing support for Ukraine.
Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
