Ukrainian military command reported that on Saturday, at around 11:00 pm Kiev time, heavy bombardment of the Ukrainian positions began near Avdiivka.  According to the reports, several mortars hit residential area near Avdiivka, setting several houses on fire.

"Today around 11 pm the enemy opened intense fire on our positions near Avdiivka. Several shells hit houses in residential area causing them [the houses] to catch fire," a statement issued by Ukrainian Command read.

The statement, …

The party Lega Nord (Northern League) will soon submit a resolution to the Council of the northern Italian region of Lombardy demanding that the Crimea be officially recognized as a part of the Russian Federation.

According to the secretary of Lega Nord, the national MP Paolo Grimoldi, the document will be submitted to the regional Council in early June.

"We are optimistic and hope that the resolution will be adopted," the politician said.

The document calls for the regional executive body, …

As was stated by the head of the Russian Ministry of Transportation, Maxim Sokolov, the Russian Federation is ready to resume the dialogue regarding flight connections with Ukraine, RIA Novosti reports.

"We are open to this dialogue. There have been no discussions with Ukrainian authorities concerning the development of flight connections since the end of last year," Sokolov said.

Earlier it was reported that losses for Russian airports caused by the suspension of flights to Ukraine, Egypt …

The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Jens Stoltenberg, stated in an interview that Sweden and Finland, which aren’t members of NATO, attended a NATO Ministerial meeting that took place on the 20th of May, as reported by a correspondent for European Pravda in Brussels.

“Finland and Sweden – EU Member States, but not NATO Member States - will join us. It will be an important indicator of our level of cooperation,” Stoltenberg stated.

The High Representative of the …

The Polish Minister of National Defense, Antoni Macierewicz, discussed the threats coming from Russia. According to the Minister, only those countries bordering the Russian Federation realize how dangerous the situation is.

Macierewicz indicated that Poland is subject to Russian provocations on a daily basis. Among these provocations, the Polish Minister listed the violation of military space, increased military presence in Kaliningrad and the deployment of Iskander missile systems.

In his …