**Irpin Mayor Embroiled in Smuggling Scandal**
The mayor of Irpin, Oleksandr Markushyn, has been accused of involvement in a car smuggling scheme that was disguised as providing aid to Ukraine’s defense forces. According to an investigation by NGL Media, Markushyn created and led a volunteer territorial community formation (DFTG) in March 2022, just as Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
As part of this group, Markushyn personally applied for duty-free imports of vehicles, which were then brought into Ukraine under the guise of humanitarian aid. However, it appears that none of these cars were actually delivered to the Ukrainian defense forces, and instead, five of them were not even registered with the Interior Ministry’s database.
Investigative journalists have suggested that these cars may have been dismantled for parts and later sold on the black market. If Markushyn is found to be involved in this scheme, he could face imprisonment for up to seven years and a fine of over Hr 435,000 (approximately $10,400).
Markushyn has been mayor of Irpin since October 2020 and has previously come under scrutiny for allegedly falsifying his reasons for traveling abroad. In January, he was briefly placed in custody by Kyiv’s Pecherskyi Court amid suspicions that he had visited his two-year-old son in Italy while claiming to travel abroad to secure aid.
**Ukraine Seeks Peace Talks with Russia**
As Ukraine faces ongoing conflict with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed gratitude for the support of the UK and emphasized the need for long-term peace and security. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, also called for ways to strengthen the country and guarantee lasting peace.
Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President JD Vance reiterated Washington’s “very explicit proposal” to Russia and Ukraine on a peace deal, warning that if belligerent sides refuse, the U.S. might drop its peace effort.
**Ongoing Conflict and Casualties**
In other news, a Russian drone attack on the town of Marhanets in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast killed at least nine people and injured 30 others. Regional authorities reported that Russian attacks across Ukrainian regions have killed four civilians and injured 88, including children, over the past day.
**U.S. and European Diplomats Pull Out**
In a further sign of diplomatic tensions, top U.S. and European diplomats have announced their decision to skip the planned meeting in London on how to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. This comes amid reported disagreements on key points of the U.S. peace plan.
The U.S. has reportedly presented its peace proposal last week during a meeting with Ukrainian officials in Paris, which includes 1,210 casualties suffered by Russian forces over the past day.
**Hungarian PM Voted Against Ukraine’s EU Accession**
In related news, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban voted against Ukraine’s accession to the European Union in a national poll, publicly sharing photos of himself marking “against” on the ballot.
