Politics of Kyiv Region and Ukraine

Politics

BEB recorded 3.8 billion in report — actually returned 47 million. Now leadership faces potential criminal charges

# Hetmantsev Proves Via Payment Orders: Most of SBU's 2025 "Successes" Are Funds Received in 2022-2024 The head of the Verkhovna Rada committee demonstrated through payment orders that the majority of the Security Service of Ukraine's (SBU) reported successes in 2025 are actually funds that arrived in previous years. A retired judge states this is not an accounting error, but grounds for a criminal investigation.

Politics

Two hubs of Moscow's fuel artery under fire: SBU strikes at "Vtorovo" and "Lobkovo"

Drones of the SBU's "Alpha" Special Operations Center attacked two oil pumping stations in Vladimirsk region — both pump diesel to Moscow airports and oil depots in the capital region. This is not the first strike on "Vtorovskoye."

Politics

Yermak collected memorandums — signed one, didn't sign the other. Lubinets explained the difference

After his resignation from the Office of the President, Andriy Yermak is systematically building an infrastructure of influence through the legal profession: a memorandum with the military ombudsman's office has already been signed, while his approach to the civilian ombudsman's office received a refusal and a public explanation of why.

Politics

Madyar — leader in balance, Zelensky — in absolute trust. What the KMIS poll actually showed.

# Commander of Unmanned Systems Forces Robert Brovdi (Hungarian) Receives Highest Trust Balance, But Rankings Shift Based on Methodology Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces Robert Brovdi (Hungarian) received the highest trust balance among all 18 public figures in the KMIS study — +63%. However, Zelenskyy surpasses him in terms of the percentage of those who trust him. The difference in methodology for reading the figures changes the entire rating.

Politics

Trump Pauses Negotiations Over Belarusian Prisoners — Reasons Undisclosed

US Special Envoy John Cole promised new prisoner releases by the end of May back in April. They did not happen. Tikhanovskaya says she knows the reason — but remains silent.

Politics

Parliament Rewrites 2026 Budget: Plus 1.56 Trillion Hryvnia for Defense Following EU Loan

Parliament approved changes to the state budget — security spending increased by 1.56 trillion hryvnias, energy sector received an additional 559 million. Where the money comes from and whether it will be enough remain open questions.

Politics

"A Ship Without a Name: How Mariupol Port Became a Logistics Target"

Ukraine's Defense Forces struck a dry cargo ship from Russia's shadow fleet at Mariupol port—a vessel that deliberately disguised itself with painted-over names and disabled transponders. This is not the first attack on the key supply hub for Russia's southern military grouping.

Politics

Terekhov, Umerov, Zelenskyy — Top Trust. KMIS Records Who Ukrainians Trust During Wartime

# Fresh KMIS Poll Shows Unusual Picture: City Mayor Under Constant Shelling Leads President, While Pre-War 'Heavyweights' Boyko and Tymoshenko Hit Bottom of Ratings A new KMIS survey reveals an unprecedented situation: the mayor of a city under constant bombardment is outpacing the president in approval ratings, while pre-war political "heavyweights" Boyko and Tymoshenko have plunged to the lowest positions in the rankings.

Politics

Apache Downed, IRGC Strikes 21 Bases: How One Helicopter Over Hormuz Blew Up US-Iran Ceasefire

The downing of an American AH-64 Apache over the Strait of Hormuz on June 9 — whether by an Iranian drone or as a result of a collision — triggered a chain of mutual strikes that destroyed the ceasefire agreement concluded just four days earlier.

Politics

"Sending Whitaker to Moscow is not enough: Blumenthal explains why negotiations over Ukraine have not been real so far"

# Translation Democratic U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal argues that as long as Putin does not feel real pressure—neither on the battlefield nor within his own country—any diplomacy remains a sham. A concrete pressure tool already exists: a bill imposing 500-percent tariffs, which has been backed by more than 80 senators but has yet to be put to a vote.

Politics

Ukraine Tests Its Own Ballistic Interceptors: What Stands Behind the "European Alternative" to Patriot

# Telegraph Reports: Kyiv Testing Ballistic Missile Interception Systems with Partners The Telegraph, citing an informed source, reports that Kyiv is already testing ballistic missile interception systems together with its partners. Could this change Ukraine's dependence on American supplies?

Politics

Five EU Countries Want to Restrict Rights of New Members — to Avoid Repeating Hungary's Scenario

Denmark, the Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, and Finland are proposing changes to EU accession rules so that new member states cannot block bloc decisions in the way Budapest has done for years.

Politics

EU tightens the noose: 21st sanctions package targets shadow fleet, banks and Russian soldiers

The European Commission presented another package of restrictions against Russia — 30 shadow fleet vessels, 31 banks and new visa barriers for military personnel. However, the effectiveness depends on implementation, not on the number of packages.

Politics

356,000 men of draft age — and Berlin is already asking Kyiv to return them

Over 16 months, the number of Ukrainian men aged 18-63 in Germany increased by 58,000. Among new arrivals, they now account for 60% — and this is changing both the diplomatic tone and the logic of defense.

Politics

Balashikha becomes a city where military logistics are being eliminated: second general in a year

Damir Davidov managed the supply of missiles and artillery shells to the front — the same ones Russia uses to strike Ukrainian cities. His assassination in the same city where General Moskalik was killed a year ago is no longer a coincidence, but a pattern.

Politics

First cluster opens, but "Fundamentals" will close last — and that's what will determine the admission deadlines

Hungary lifted its 17-month veto, and Ukraine received the start of negotiations. However, the actual pace of European integration depends not on the opening date, but on when Brussels agrees to close the first cluster — and this is a question without a current answer.

Politics

"Funds from Chelsea - for missiles: Zelensky proposes changing conditions that London has already defined as humanitarian"

More than $3 billion from the forced sale of the club remains frozen — Abramovich is suing the British government, while Kyiv wants to redirect these funds to purchase air defense missiles through the PURL program.

Politics

"UN should say goodbye to Russia": Ukraine's envoy on Moscow's illegal membership

Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya insists: Russia is not the legitimate successor to the USSR in the Security Council — and until this is challenged, the organization remains a hostage to the aggressor.

Politics

"Up to 12 Years for Tender Rigging. But Only Every Fourth Case Reaches Court"

The Criminal Code provides severe penalties for public procurement fraud — up to 12 years with confiscation. But there is a vast gap between opening a case and issuing a verdict — one that statistics honestly document.

Politics

49.81% - and short of two-thirds: Pashinyan wins election, but peace deal with Azerbaijan remains out of reach

# Translation The Civic Contract party retained power amid record turnout and a surprisingly strong pro-Russian opposition bloc that collectively garnered 31%. While the mandate exists, a constitutional referendum that Baku demands as a condition for peace cannot be held without a two-thirds parliamentary majority.

Politics

Coalition Agreed on Guarantees for Ukraine — Without Russia's Signature and Without Clear Entry Into Force Date

At a meeting in Paris on January 6, the "coalition of the willing" adopted the Paris Declaration: multinational forces, American monitoring of a ceasefire, and commitments to arming the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, all mechanisms come into effect only after a ceasefire—which Moscow has not yet agreed to.

Politics

Schroeder Keeps His Order — Zelensky May Lose: Sikorski Posed an Awkward Question to Navroczky

Poland's Foreign Minister Publicly Points Out Absurdity: If Parliament Supports Stripping Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle, Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder — a Man Receiving Money from Putin — Will Remain a Recipient of Poland's Highest Honor.

Politics

Four Leaders in London: Five Peace Principles — and No Enforcement Mechanism

Starmer, Macron, Merz, and Zelensky signed a joint statement outlining conditions for ending the war. The document consolidates Europe's position — but fails to address the main question: who and how will force Moscow to accept it.

Politics

Pashinyan Retains Power: His Party Gains Nearly 50% in Armenian Elections

Armenia's Central Election Commission has completed the vote count following parliamentary elections. The "Civil Contract" party received approximately 50% of the vote — enough to form a government without a coalition.

Politics

"There is no direct weapons" — while Reuters publishes agreement on secret training of Russians in China

Yusov and the Foreign Ministry speak about the absence of direct military aid from China, but a Reuters investigation citing three European intelligence officials documents that approximately 200 Russian military personnel trained at Chinese military academies — with some of them already fighting in Ukraine.

Politics

Putin Can Preserve Either Russia or This War — But Not Both, According to Walker's Assessment

Former U.S. Special Representative Kurt Volker describes an internal trap of the Kremlin: the continuation of hostilities destroys the very state that Putin claims to be protecting. Estonian military historian Yuri Kochnev believes that Russia has already passed the point of no return.

Politics

Telegram announcements for $50 million: how Russia attempted to bring 100,000 voters to Armenia

The vice president of the Armenian Business Council of Russia detained in Yerevan is not acting alone. According to Reuters, behind the scheme is a Kremlin plan worth up to $50 million and quotas across Russian regions.

Politics

Bus Stop Near Underground School: CAB in Balabyne Killed Three People Waiting for Transport

On June 7, Russian aviation struck the settlement of Balabyne near Zaporizhzhia with a guided bomb — three civilians were killed in the area near a public transport stop. The same morning, the city came under another series of strikes targeting gas stations and railway infrastructure.

Politics

SSO Drones Strike Crimea's Fuel Logistics: Oil Depot Near Lenin and Feodosia Terminal

A unit of Middle-strike Special Operations Forces struck two key infrastructure facilities through which Russia supplies fuel to Crimea and other occupied territories. Both targets were located 200-250 kilometers from the front line.

Politics

"8.5 Million and Counting: Why Lubinets' Two Conditions May Not Be Enough"

The ombudsman named security guarantees and a housing program as the main prerequisites for mass return of Ukrainians. However, sociology records a different trend: the longer people stay abroad, the less they want to return.