Amy B. Zegart
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on May 21 that the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague will focus on the military support for Ukraine to ensure it is in the strongest position possible both during its ongoing defense and in the eventual pursuit …
On May 21, massive mobile internet outages are being reported across Central Russia, affecting areas including Moscow and the surrounding region. According to monitoring services Downdetector and Sboi.rf, major telecom operators like MTS, T2, …
Editor’s note: This is issue 26 of Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak’s weekly “Ukraine Reforms Tracker” covering events from May 12–May 18, 2025. The digest highlights steps taken in the Ukrainian parliament related to business, …
Russian air defenses intercepted a drone attack on Moscow on May 21, according to the city’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin and state-controlled media, prompting temporary air traffic disruptions at major airports.
As of 5 p.m. local time, Sobyanin claimed …
In the early hours of Wednesday, May 21, the city of Bolkhov in Russia's Oryol region witnessed tremendous explosions and a fire near a semiconductor plant. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed an assault by ten Ukrainian drones …
With the fading U.S. global leadership under Donald Trump, Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, and growing populism at home, Europe faces a stark choice: step up or fall into irrelevance. Speaking with the Kyiv Independent on May 16, British …
A Russian vessel under international sanctions made “suspicious” maneuvers near a key undersea power cable connecting Poland and Sweden before being forced to retreat following a military intervention, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk …
Military personnel at a base housing a training ground in the Sumy region stated that command intentionally ignored air raid warnings.
A Russian missile strike on a training facility in Shostka, Sumy region, resulted in the deaths of six servicemen …
Around 49,000 draft-age men have been detained at border areas and checkpoints while trying to illegally cross Ukraine’s border since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border …
Romania should continue supporting Ukraine, but without taking part in a potential peacekeeping force, Romanian President-elect Nicusor Dan said in an interview with Politico published on May 21.
“First, to have a big operational support on …
The EU has reached an agreement to launch a common defense fund of 150 billion euros ($170 billion) called SAFE, the Council of the EU announced on May 21.
“The more we invest in equipping our armies, the better we will deter those who wish us …
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Kursk region for the first time since the Russian Defense Ministry announced it was free from the Ukrainian armed forces, the Kremlin press service reported on Wednesday, May 21. The Kremlin clarified that …
A fire broke out at one of the facilities at the Bila Tserkva Thermal Power Plant, killing at least two people, the State Emergency Service reported on May 21.
The fire was reported around 1 p.m. local time, breaking out at one of the plant’s …
Russia may be preparing to launch new attacks in the Kharkiv sector, as indicated by the buildup of its forces near the Ukrainian border, Andrii Pomahaibus, the chief of staff of Ukraine’s 13th National Guard Khartiia Brigade, said on May 21. …
A Ukrainian citizen has been charged following a series of arson attacks on property linked to U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Times reported on May 21.
Petro Pochynok, 34, charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life, is …
Editor’s note: This is a developing story.
Andriy Portnov, a former top official in Ukraine’s ex-President Viktor Yanukovych’s administration, was shot dead by unidentified attackers outside the American School in Madrid, Reuters reported …
The U.S. objected to the inclusion of clauses on “further support” for Ukraine in a joint statement during the meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) finance ministers in Canada, Politico reported on May 21, citing two undisclosed officials. …
The U.S. Senate is ready to vote on a bill on sanctions against Russia if peace talks over the war in Ukraine do not progress soon, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said on May 20, as Voice of America journalist Tetiana Vorozhko reported.
The U.S.-mediated …
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Kursk Oblast, the Kremlin said on May 21, marking his first known visit since Moscow declared it had retaken the Russian border region from Ukrainian forces.
Russia claimed on April 26 that it had completed its …
Russian attacks across Ukrainian regions killed at least two civilians and injured at least 23 over the past day, regional authorities reported on May 21.
Moscow’s forces launch air strikes, drone attacks, and artillery strikes against Ukrainian …
As a result of a Russian strike during training exercises at a military shooting range in Sumy Oblast, six Ukrainian servicemen were killed and more than ten were injured. This…
Russian air defenses intercepted over 150 Ukrainian drones in a massive attack overnight on May 21, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed, with multiple sources reporting attacks on industrial targets.
Explosions were reported in the Tula, Ryazan, …
Pope Leo XIV expressed his willingness to host the next round of talks in the Vatican to bring the end of Russia’s war in Ukraine closer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on May 20, according to the Italian government’s website. …
