Peter Szijjarto's announcement came after Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) allegedly dismantled a Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Zakarpattia Oblast.
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.
Russia's Podlet radar station in Moscow Oblast, Russia, December 2016. (Russia's Defense Ministry)
The Atesh partisan group claims it disrupted communication at several Russian military facilities when it allegedly destroyed equipment at a transformer substation in Russia's Moscow Oblast on May 8.
The Kremlin has invited many foreign leaders to its Victory Day parade on May 9 as Russia faces isolation from the West due to its ongoing war against Ukraine. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to be in Moscow from May 7-10.
"An agent of the Atesh movement successfully carried out sabotage in the village of Mogiltsy (Moscow Oblast), destroying equipment at a transformer substation that provided the region’s electrical and telecommunications infrastructure," the group said in a Telegram Post.
Mogiltsy is located about 45 kilometres (28 miles) north-east of Moscow, where foreign officials have been invited for Russia's Victory Day celebrations on May 9.
"(C)ommunication interruptions occurred at a number of important military facilities, including: the 629th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (military unit 51857), the 21st Separate Operational Purpose Brigade (military unit 3641), as well as the military town where military units 20007, 03523, and 51084 are located," the Atesh group claimed.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the group's claims.
The Atesh partisan group regularly conducts sabotage attacks in Russia and Ukraine's Russian-occupied territories.
President Volodymyr Zelensky on May 3 said Ukraine cannot guarantee the safety of foreign officials planning to attend Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow.
Russia is responsible for ensuring safety and security on its territory, Zelensky said.
"They are responsible for your safety. We will not provide any guarantees, because we do not know what Russia might do on those dates," he added.
Other leaders, includingSlovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, a proponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, will attend the Victory Day celebrations, despite Russia's war against Ukraine.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent.
Natalia Yermak
