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.
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said that the new pontiff had a phone call with Zelensky on Monday, during which the pope expressed willingness to facilitate meetings between global leaders and vowed to support efforts for "a just and lasting peace."
In an interview with French broadcaster TF1 on May 13, Macron discussed new Russia sanctions and stationing French nuclear weapons in other European countries as a deterrent against Russia.
Performing their song "Bird of Pray," Ukrainian band Ziferblat passed the Eurovision semi-finals on May 13, qualifying Ukraine for the grand final on May 17.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a Russian delegation will be in Istanbul on May 15 for direct peace talks with Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov will likely represent Russia.
The move follows Ukraine's ratification of the minerals agreement, deepening U.S.-Ukraine economic ties and signaling expanded U.S. involvement in Ukraine's long-term recovery.
"Ukraine has initiated a coordinated campaign to vilify Hungary in order to undermine our initiative to hold a poll on (Kyiv's) EU membership," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
A screen grab captured from a video shows teams continuing to conduct evacuation works for residents due to flooding after a dam burst in the city of Orsk, Russia, on April 6, 2024. (Russian Emergency Ministry/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Russia's Orsk oil refinery suspended operations after a flood caused a dam breach in Orenburg Oblast, Russian state-controlled news agency RIA Novosti reported on April 7, citing the refinery's press service.
The dam burst on April 5 in the city of Orsk, less than 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of the border with Kazakhstan, due to a flood. The floods, caused by rising water levels in the Ural River, forced over 4,000 people in the region to evacuate and flooded thousands of homes, according to local authorities.
RIA Novosti claimed the suspension of the refinery's operation was aimed at "avoiding environmental risks and to comply with safety regulations."
The Orsk oil refinery is able to process 6 million metric tons of oil per year and is reportedly one of the main oil refineries in Russia.
Russian companies are facing difficulties in repairing oil refineries due to Western sanctions, and Ukrainian drone attacks could worsen the problem, Reuters previously reported.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Igor Kossov
