News

On May 16, Ukraine and Russia held their first direct peace talks in years in Istanbul, agreeing to a 1,000‑for‑1,000 prisoner swap but failing to secure a ceasefire as Kyiv pressed Western allies for support. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate has publicly revealed the advanced Magura V7 naval drone — a sea platform equipped with missiles that has already shot down Russian Su‑30 fighter jets, marking a historic first in unmanned warfare. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Ukrainian actor and TV presenter Maksym Nelipa was killed in combat on May 12 while serving with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Fans and colleagues across the nation are mourning the loss of the celebrated entertainer‑turned‑soldier. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says the Russian delegation has failed to use the peace opportunity offered by President Zelensky — sending low‑level negotiators and missing a historic chance to progress talks. Analysis at empr.media. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Ukrainian military sources say Russia’s 2025 summer offensive has effectively already begun, with forward troops massed and fighting intensifying across multiple directions as Moscow seeks tactical gains. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at a bilateral meeting in Ankara about peace talks and diplomacy. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

On Day 1,177 of Russia’s large‑scale invasion, Ukraine reports 168 combat clashes, dozens of air strikes and Shahed drone waves across key sectors while Ukrainian troops push back enemy assaults. Ukrainian forces hit enemy positions and inflicted significant losses.:contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

President Zelenskyy says that if Donald Trump attends peace talks in Istanbul, it could force Vladimir Putin to participate — and Putin’s absence would be seen as a complete diplomatic defeat for the Kremlin. | empr.media :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

On Day 1,176 of Russia’s full‑scale invasion, Ukraine reported 163 combat clashes, one missile strike and 78 air attacks while its forces countered multiple assaults and struck 14 enemy concentrations. Russian drone use climbed to nearly 3,000 over the past day.…

Russian rowers who qualified for the 2025 European U‑19 Rowing Championships in Poland will miss the event after refusing to sign a declaration renouncing support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and related political conditions imposed by hosts and organizers. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Polish hauliers have blocked the Dorohusk-Yahodyn checkpoint on the Poland-Ukraine border in protest against Ukraine’s new electronic queue system, stopping normal truck traffic and forcing many carriers to withdraw from the queue en masse as freight flows stall. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Germany’s governing Social Democratic Party (SPD) is reportedly backing the idea of lifting U.S. sanctions linked to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline — a move that could reshape transatlantic energy politics and Berlin’s stance toward Russia. SPD leaders have historically…