"I have great hope that an agreement for a ceasefire in Ukraine will be reached this weekend," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on May 9, shortly before traveling to Kyiv alongside the leaders of France, Poland, and the U.K.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will arrive in Kyiv early on May 10.
The United States embassy in Kyiv on May 9 issued a warning that Russia could launch "a potentially significant" attack in the coming days, despite Putin's self-declared Victory Day "truce."
The sanctioned oil tankers have transported over $24 billion in cargo since 2024, according to Downing Street. The U.K. has now sanctioned more shadow fleet vessels than any other country.
Washington and its partners are considering additional sanctions if the parties do not observe a ceasefire, with political and technical negotiations between Europe and the U.S. intensifying since last week, Reuters' source said.
The Kyiv Independent’s contributor Ignatius Ivlev-Yorke spent a day with a mobile team from the State Emergency Service in Nikopol in the south of Ukraine as they responded to relentless drone, artillery, and mortar strikes from Russian forces just across the Dnipro River. Nikopol is located across from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the city of Enerhodar.
Photo for illustrative purposes. The Jackpot sign is illuminated on a gambling machine in an amusement arcade in St Ives, on August 21, 2022 in Cornwall, England. (Matt Cardy / Getty Images)
The Ukrainian Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (CRGL) will be dissolved on April 1, the Digital Transformation Ministry announced on March 25. A new state agency, PlayCity, will take its place, aiming to digitize gambling business licensing and strengthen oversight of the industry.
Ukraine’s gambling sector has faced persistent challenges, including weak regulatory enforcement, tax uncertainties, and the widespread presence of illegal operators. Many of these businesses have historical ties to Russia, with some under investigation or sanctioned by Ukrainian authorities.
The Digital Transformation Ministry said in a statement that CRGL had failed to effectively regulate the industry, prompting the government to launch reforms. PlayCity, which will operate under the ministry, is expected to introduce stricter controls and combat illegal gambling, including Russia-linked casinos.
The government hopes that revenue from legal gambling and lotteries will generate up to Hr 10 billion ($240 million) annually in taxes, which will be directed toward Ukraine’s defense needs.
“The reform will establish transparent rules for all market participants and ensure effective state oversight,” the ministry said. “It will help bring the industry out of the shadows and strengthen the Ukrainian economy.”
Gambling was banned in Ukraine in 2009 and remained illegal until its partial legalization in 2020. Law enforcement agencies are currently investigating more than 450 criminal cases related to illegal gambling operations.
In February, authorities detained the director of Pin-Up, a major Ukrainian online casino, over the company’s alleged ties to Russia. Investigators found that its real owners were Russian nationals who collected personal data from users, including Ukrainian military personnel.
Concerns over gambling addiction among Ukrainian soldiers have fueled public debate. In March, a petition calling for restrictions on online gambling reached the presidential office.
Last year, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree restricting online gambling and banning military personnel from participating while martial law remains in effect.
Kateryna Denisova
