One could attribute Russian attempts at hacking and influencing the 2016 general election to retaliation for the CIA's involvement in Ukraine, or to a personal vendetta against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with regard to Ukraine ahead of the Maidan revolt, or to rousing anti-Putin sentiment in Russia: ... Five years ago, he blamed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the anti-Kremlin protests in Moscow's Bolotnaya Square. "She set the tone for some of our actors in the country and gave the signal," Putin said. "They heard this and, with the support of the U.S. State Department, began active work." (No evidence was provided for the accusation.) ...
Russian forces launched overnight ballistic missile and drone strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed reports that elections or a referendum on territorial integrity would be announced on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. In Kyiv, a ballistic missile strike damaged a private residence, injuring at least two people, one of whom was hospitalized in serious condition, Mayor Vitali Klitschko and the city's military administration head Tymur Tkachenko reported.
Technically, we will be ready in 2027, Zelenskyy told reporters, Reuters reported, adding that by the end of 2026 Ukraine will have implemented the main steps required for membership. I think the European Commission may have a slightly more nuanced view on that, given its last year's progress report pointing to some level of preparation in many areas, with only limited progress on some of the key issues, such as fight against corruption, or insufficient capacity in some areas looked at by the EU.
