Live Ukraine: Ukraine opens door to voluntary mobilization of prisoners

16:37

Ukraine opens door to voluntary mobilization of prisoners

The Ukrainian parliament has passed a law allowing certain categories of prisoners to volunteer for the army. With this measure, parliament hopes to reduce manpower shortages.

Prisoners convicted of serious crimes such as murder, rape and child abuse are not eligible for voluntary mobilization. This also applies to people in prison for corruption or drug trafficking. Finally, a convicted person may not face more than three years in prison.

Expanding mobilization is a sensitive issue in Ukraine. Last month, after much discussion, parliament adopted a new mobilization law, which should increase the number of soldiers at the front. The law lowers the mobilization age from 27 to 25 years and provides for a number of new punitive measures for conscientious objectors.

Daan de Vries

Also read: Ukrainian parliament in favor of mobilization law, dismissal after three years at the front suddenly canceled

16:16

UK expel Russian diplomat over ‘pattern of malicious activity’

The United Kingdom is taking a series of measures against the Russian diplomatic representation. The country is expelling, among other things, a Russian diplomat. This was reported by British Home Secretary James Cleverly. The reason is a ‘pattern of malicious activities’ by Russia in the UK and other European countries.

Several NATO member states have expressed their concerns over Russian sabotage actions in European countries in the past week. Intelligence services warn that Russia is preparing bomb attacks, arson and other forms of sabotage on European territory. In the UK, two more men were arrested at the end of last month on suspicion of arson at a building where aid supplies for Ukraine were stored. The British prosecutor claims that they work for Russia.

According to Cleverly, the Russian sabotage actions require a ‘resolute and firm’ response. That is why the British expel a Russian diplomat, revoke the diplomatic status of a number of buildings and shorten the duration of Russian diplomatic visas. It concerns a defense attaché, a diplomat who represents the Russian army. Cleverly states that the diplomat actually works for the Russian intelligence services.

Daan de Vries

Read more about Russian sabotage actions in Europe here: Intelligence services warn of ‘physical’ sabotage by Russia.

14:51

Russia advances further into Ukraine and captures two villages

Russia claims to have captured two villages in Ukraine again. The claim comes from the Russian Ministry of Defense. This concerns the village of Kyslivka in the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv and the village of Novokalinove in the Donetsk region. Ukraine has not yet responded to the claim, but Russian forces have recently captured more villages on the front. The Russian army seems to be slowly but surely succeeding in advancing further.

Novokalinove is about 18 kilometers from Avdiivka, which was captured by the Russian army in February. Since then, the Russians have been advancing in eastern Ukraine, where in the past week the villages of Berdychi, Novobachmuttvika and Semenivka have been captured. Russia also benefits from shortages of weapons and soldiers on the Ukrainian side.

Tom Kieft

Also read the analysis of Daan de Vries and Pepijn de Lange: With these three offensives, Russia is trying to gain complete control of the Donetsk region

06:21

Russia is attacking energy facilities across Ukraine, including Kyiv

Russia carried out air strikes in several Ukrainian regions last night‘s. According to Ukraine’s energy minister, the attacks targeted energy facilities in the cities of Kyiv, Poltava and Lviv, and elsewhere in the country.

Governors of various regions‘s report damage and fire, but no injuries or deaths. DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private electricity company, reports serious damage to equipment at three power plants. “Energy engineers are currently working to eliminate the effects of the attack‘the company writes on Telegram.

The Ukrainian army reports that air defense systems in Kyiv and the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, among others, were activated. (AP)

11:59 PM, Yesterday

Welcome to this live blog

This was the most important news about the war in Ukraine on Tuesday, May 7:

• The Ukrainian security service SBOe has arrested two Ukrainian colonels suspected of involvement in a plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky. The two are said to have leaked information to the Russian secret service FSB. The suspects were part of the State Security Department, an organization responsible, among other things, for the protection of the president.

• Italy does not give Ukraine permission to deploy Italian weapons beyond its own borders. This is what Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told the Ansa news agency. “All the military equipment we send is intended for use within Ukraine,” Tajani said. Italy has provided Ukraine with around one billion euros in military aid since the start of the Russian invasion.

• Romanian President Klaus Iohannis ‘opens to discussion’ about supplying a Romanian Patriot system to Ukraine. Ukraine is in urgent need of strengthening its air defenses and has asked its Western ally for seven Patriot systems. For now, only Germany has promised one.

Read Tuesday’s full live blog here.