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.
Russia's Black Sea fleet warships take part in the Navy Day celebrations in the port city of Novorossiysk on July 30, 2023. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images)
Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Drones and missiles struck an oil refinery and seaport in the Russian city of Novorossiysk in the early hours of May 17, causing explosions and power outages, the Russian Telegram news channel Astra reported.
Local residents reported hearing at least eight explosions in Novorossiysk overnight, and video footage records the sounds of both drones and air defense activity.
A missile struck the Novorossiysk port and caused a fire to break out, residents said.
According to locals, the attack also hit the city's oil infrastructure. Both the Novorossiysk Fuel oil terminal and the Transneft terminal were attacked.
Novorossiysk reportedly lost power during the attacks.
The U.K. Defense Ministry reported on March 31 that Russia was strengthening the Novorossiysk port's defenses in order to protect the Black Sea Fleet from possible Ukrainian attacks.
The Novorossiysk port is located on Russia's Black Sea coast, in the southern region of Krasnodar Krai.
Ukrainian forces have continued launching drone strikes targeting Russia's oil industry this spring. Kyiv says these attacks are carried out to undermine Russia's military operations and retaliate against Moscow's strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) confirmed that it carried out a successful drone attack against an oil base in Russia's Rostov Oblast on May 15.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
