You missed the latest events on the war in Ukraine? 20 Minutes summarizes the key points for you every evening. Here is the essentials of this Friday, May 15, 2026, the 1,542nd day of the conflict.
Fact of the day
This Friday, 34 member countries of the Council of Europe, as well as the European Union, Australia, and Costa Rica, have announced their intention to join the future special tribunal for Ukraine, aimed at judging the Russian invasion. Meeting in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers adopted a resolution laying the groundwork for the future “management committee” of this jurisdiction, wanted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
This body should allow bypassing the impossibility of pursuing the “crime of aggression” before the International Criminal Court, which Moscow does not recognize. “The moment when Russia will have to be held accountable for its aggression is approaching,” said the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset. Russia has already warned that it will consider the decisions of the future tribunal as “null and void.” The European Commission has announced a contribution of 10 million euros to support the establishment of this jurisdiction.
Quote of the day
“The impact of the war will be felt for generations.”
The mental health crisis in Ukraine is palpable and worsens after more than four years of war against Russia, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday. The psychological stress related to the devastating war in Ukraine, triggered by Russia in February 2022, has long been a priority for the government and the country’s health system.
Jarno Habicht, WHO’s representative in Ukraine, emphasized that in March 2022 already, a month after the start of the conflict, the UN health agency estimated that 10 million people needed mental health support in the country. “These needs are becoming increasingly important,” he told the press in Geneva, citing the latest WHO data showing that “71% of people are experiencing anxiety, stress, and insomnia.”
Number of the day
3. That’s the number of hours during which Helsinki Airport in Finland suspended its air traffic on Friday evening. Earlier, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo had reported a drone alert in the Uusimaa region (south), and reinforcement of surveillance by the Finnish armed forces.
National emergency services also warned of a drone threat and advised the population to take shelter. Last week, Finnish Coast Guard announced that two drones suspected of violating Finnish airspace likely came from Ukraine.
Trend
After a night of deadly Russian bombings, Ukraine retaliated by sending drones to Russia. In Riazan, southeast of Moscow, one of these attacks killed four people and injured at least 12, according to the Russian Investigative Committee, one of the country’s main judicial bodies. The Russian Defense Ministry said it had shot down a total of 355 Ukrainian drones overnight in around fifteen regions and the annexed Crimea.
Concurrently, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Friday that Ukraine was entitled to strike oil and military sites in Russia in retaliation for the deadly attack in Kyiv that killed at least 24 people the day before.
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