the

Russians are preparing to connect the Zaporizhzhya NPP to their power system

Russia has completed infrastructure to connect the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) to its own power grid, including building a distribution unit, compressor station, and transmission lines. This move aims to supply electricity to occupied Ukrainian territories and tighten Russian control over Ukrainian energy assets.

By integrating Europe’s largest nuclear plant into its energy system, Russia is violating international law and increasing risks to Ukraine’s energy security. The electricity is expected to support infrastructure upgrades in occupied areas, such as parts of Kherson Oblast.

This development not only complicates efforts to return the plant to Ukrainian control but also turns it into a political and strategic tool for Russia to pressure Ukraine and the global community. Silence or inaction from international actors may further embolden such moves.

9 Ukrainian children have been rescued from Russian-occupied territories

Ukraine has rescued nine more children from Russian-occupied territories, Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak reported on May 22. These children, some of whom endured life-threatening conditions and trauma, are part of over 19,500 minors forcibly taken to Russia, Belarus, or occupied areas since the full-scale invasion. Only about 1,300 have been returned so far.

The operation is part of President Zelensky’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative. Rescued children include a girl in urgent need of medical care, a boy held in a basement while his father was tortured, and two sisters trapped in their home for three years due to fighting. A teenage girl was also retrieved after losing access to education due to communication blockades.

Kyiv views the return of these children as essential to any future peace deal. The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova over these abductions. On May 8, the European Parliament condemned the deportations, labeling them a "genocidal strategy" and demanding the children’s unconditional return.

Lavrov confirms that Russia has no interest in a Ukraine ceasefire

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed on May 21 that Moscow is not interested in a ceasefire or serious negotiations with Ukraine, dismissing the U.S.-led push for a 30-day truce as a “let’s have a ceasefire and then we’ll see” tactic. Lavrov said Russia would not repeat past negotiation efforts and insisted on addressing the “root causes” of the war instead.

This comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin again rejected a ceasefire proposal during a May 19 call with U.S. President Donald Trump, opting instead for vague talks about a future peace treaty. Trump reportedly told European leaders that Putin doesn’t want peace because he believes Russia is winning, a stance that surprised some European officials, according to media reports.

Peace talks in Istanbul on May 16, initiated by Moscow, were inconclusive. Russia sent only low-level representatives and reiterated its demands for Ukraine to surrender Crimea and four eastern regions. Neither Putin nor Lavrov attended, underlining Russia’s lack of commitment to meaningful negotiations.