U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, will travel to Istanbul for possible peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, Reuters reported on May 13, citing three undisclosed sources.
A captive named Umit allegedly agreed to serve in the Russian army in exchange for Russian citizenship and a monetary reward of 2 million rubles ($25,000).
Russia's Buryatia Republic declared a state of emergency on May 13 over massive forest fires that have engulfed multiple regions in the Russian Far East.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko's statement came as Strong Shield 5 exercises involving military personnel from other NATO countries began in Lithuania.
"Amendments to the Budget Code are needed to implement the provisions on funding the U.S.-Ukrainian Reconstruction Investment Fund," lawmaker Roksolana Pidlasa said.
During reconnaissance in an unspecified front-line sector, Special Operations Forces' operators detected Buk-M3 and Uragan-1 on combat duty, the unit said.
The suspect quit his job at the Rivne NPP before the full-scale war began. In the spring of 2025, a GRU liaison contacted him and offered cooperation in exchange for money.
President Volodymyr Zelensky would not meet any other Russian official apart from Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul this week, presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said on the Breakfast Show program on May 13.
U.S. and European officials held talks on May 12, during which Washington made it clear that it wanted to allow talks between Russia and Ukraine before increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin, sources told Bloomberg.
Ukrainian tanks drive on the road in Kursk Oblast, Russia, on Sept 16. 2024. (Oleg Palchyk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Ukrainian soldiers struck on Jan. 7 the command post of Russia's 810th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade near the village of Belaya in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Ukraine's General Staff claimed.
The report came days after Ukraine reportedly launched renewed offensive operations in Kursk Oblast, which is seen as a crucial bargaining chip for potential peace negotiations. Almost 100 Russian ground assaults were repelled in Kursk Oblast over the past day, the General Staff said.
"Such fire damage is an integral part of combat operations of Ukraine's Defense Forces units, which are engaged in combat operations on the territory of the Russian Federation," the statement read.
No further details on the attack and the extent of the damage were disclosed. The Russian military has not commented on Ukraine's claim.
Another Russian command post came under Ukraine's attack in Maryino, Kursk Oblast, on Jan. 2, according to the military.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.
The Russian Defense Ministry alleged on Jan. 6 that the Ukrainian advance was halted and that Ukraine's primary units were destroyed near Berdin, a settlement along a road leading northeast to the city of Kursk.
Ukrainian forces launched a large-scale operation in Kursk Oblast in early August, allegedly capturing up to 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian soil.
Since then, Russia has deployed reinforcements — including North Korean soldiers — in the area and reportedly retook around half of the lost territory.
Boldizsar Gyori
