Author’s articles
Kirill Budanov, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, has stated that Russian troops have been unsuccessfully attempting to capture Stepnogorsk in the Zaporizhzhia sector for over a year. According to him, the occupiers are suffering heavy losses and are unable to advance further into the country.
19 May is Family Doctor Day in Ukraine, whilst Orthodox Christians commemorate Saint John of Gotf. Traditionally, this day has been associated with rain, good health, planting cucumbers and various folk taboos.
On the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Genocide of the Crimean Tatar People, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the international community to recognise the deportation of the Crimean Tatars in May 1944 as an act of genocide. Canada, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands have already adopted such a decision.
Ukraine’s first guided aerial bomb has passed the necessary tests and is ready for combat use. According to Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, development took 17 months, and the Ministry of Defence has already procured the first trial batch.
The government plans to review its macroeconomic and social development indicators in mid-2026. Oleksiy Sobolev, Minister for the Economy, the Environment and Agriculture, stated that the GDP growth forecast would be revised downwards, partly due to the negative impact of the winter energy crises.
On the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Political Repression, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the international community to condemn the crimes of the Soviet regime. Separately, the Ministry is demanding that Russia open its archives and publish documents relating to the crimes of the NKVD and the Soviet era.
In Ukraine, 1.37 million people have been conscripted, and critical enterprises whose employees have been conscripted generate 60% of tax revenue. Oleksiy Sobolev, Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture, stated that the state must strike a balance between the needs of the military and the economy.
On 20 May 2026, a closed VIP forum entitled ‘City Development Strategy: Me, You, Society’ will take place in Lviv. The event is being organised by the DMNTR media group, and the main theme will be the development of the urban environment, planning and construction.
Discussions are underway in Ukraine regarding the wider recruitment of workers from India and Bangladesh into sectors where businesses are facing staff shortages. At the same time, publicly available official sources currently confirm the general procedure for employing foreign nationals: employers must obtain a permit to employ a foreign national.
Ukraine needs to gradually transition to market-based tariffs for electricity, gas, heating and hot water. During an online discussion organised by the RRR4U consortium, it was noted that the current electricity tariff for households stands at 4.32 UAH per kWh, whilst the market price is approaching 13 UAH.
Two residents of Zakarpattia are to stand trial on charges of plotting an assassination attempt against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and attempting to seize state power. According to the investigation, they were recruited by Russian citizen Oleksandr Churakov, who was acting on behalf of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).
Ukrainians may receive several separate gas bills: for the gas itself, for its distribution, and for the maintenance of in-building networks. A lawyer explained why these charges are separate, how they are calculated, and when a consumer may not have to pay for gas distribution.
