The publications' latest report covers the period of February 24, 2022 to May 8, 2025. Since it was last updated at the end of April, 2,857 additional Russian military personnel have been confirmed killed.
Hungary cancelled a meeting planned for May 12 with a Ukrainian delegation on the rights of national minorities, Hungary's Deputy Foreign Minister said on May 11, amid a deepening spying scandal between the two countries.
Three were injured in Russia's Kursk Oblast when the town of Rylsk was allegedly struck by a missile attack on May 11, local governor Alexander Khinshtein claimed.
This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a press conference after testifying before the electoral chamber at the main headquarters of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) on Aug. 2, 2024, at the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro announced the detention of three Ukrainians days before his inauguration, calling them "mercenaries" and accusing them of plotting "terrorist" actions, Spanish news agency EFE reported on Jan. 8.
Venezuelan authorities also detained two U.S. and two Colombian citizens, raising the same accusations against them.
"Today alone, we have captured…, seven foreign mercenaries, including two important U.S. mercenaries," Maduro said at an event in Caracas.
The group was planning a terrorist attack against "the peace of Venezuela," the president alleged. Maduro did not provide evidence to support his claims.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has not yet commented on Caracas' claims, and a spokesperson did not respond to the Kyiv Independent's request at the time of publication.
Maduro is preparing for his inauguration on Jan. 10 to become the president of Venezuela for the next six years after two consecutive terms, claiming election victory in July 2024 amid widespread reports of fraud.
The opposition’s presidential nominee, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, also plans to take the presidential oath. The U.S. and several other nations have recognized Urrutia as the legitimate president-elect.
The Venezuelan government claims to have detained overall 125 "mercenaries" in November and December, all part of an alleged scheme to attack Maduro’s Vice President and Hydrocarbons Minister Delcy Rodriguez.
Venezuela's president has denounced Western sanctions imposed against Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and called Caracas and Moscow "loyal allies."
Last summer, two Russian naval ships docked in Venezuela's La Guaira port after exercises in the North Atlantic, supposedly to "show the flag" in the region.
Boldizsar is a former Reuters correspondent for Hungary, currently based in Kharkiv, reporting for the Kyiv Independent and various other outlets. He holds degrees in political science, philosophy, and development policy.
Anastasiia Lapatina
