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."
Ukrainian director Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk holds an Ukrainian flag with the name of Maksym Butkevych, an Ukrainian human rights activist and journalist who is being held by Russia as a prisoner of war, during the 35th European Film Awards in Reykjavik on December 10, 2022. (Photo by HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP via Getty Images)
The Ukrainian documentaries “The Porcelain War” and “Once Upon a Time in Ukraine” have been shortlisted for the 97th Academy Awards, the U.S. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Dec. 17.
“The Porcelain War,” directed by Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev, is among 15 films selected for the Documentary Feature Film category, chosen from a total of 169 eligible submissions. The film follows three artists who join the Ukrainian army during the war, while continuing to create porcelain figurines as an act of resistance.
In the Documentary Short Film category, “Once Upon a Time in Ukraine,” co-directed by Betsy West and Earl Mack and co-produced by Ukraine and the U.S., advanced to the shortlist. The documentary portrays war through the eyes of Ukrainian children and shows how they use creativity and imagination to cope with the hardships.
“La Palisade,” a film by Philip Sotnychenko, was nominated by the Ukrainian Oscar committee as Ukraine’s entry for Best International Feature Film, but it did not make the shortlist.
In 2024, the Ukrainian documentary “20 Days in Mariupol”, directed by Mstyslav Chernov, made history as the first Ukrainian film to win an Oscar, taking home the Best Documentary Feature award. The film also earned the BAFTA award for Best Documentary earlier that year.
The documentary recorded the Russian siege of Mariupol in Donetsk Oblast from the perspective of Chernov and his crew during the first weeks of the full-scale invasion. The film comprises 30 hours of footage they shot in Mariupol amid the siege.
Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the fields of cybersecurity and translating, and she also edited for various journals in NYC.
Sonya has a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Houston, in Texas.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
