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Russian sergeant pleas guilty in the 1st war crimes case of the invasion in Ukraine

5:45pm May 18, 2022

by Greg Myre

A Russian sergeant pleads guilty for killing a Ukrainian civilian in the war's first war crimes case. Such cases usually occur after a war ends. Ukraine wants to prosecute while the evidence is fresh.

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Russian army Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin, 21, is seen behind glass during a court hearing in Kyiv on Wednesday. He went on trial in Ukraine for the killing of an unarmed civilian and pleaded guilty. It is the first time a member of the Russian military has bee

Russia-Ukraine war: What happened today (May 18)

5:08pm May 18, 2022

by NPR Staff

A roundup of key developments and the latest in-depth coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Swedish defense minister on decision to apply to NATO after decades of resistance

4:33pm May 18, 2022

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Sweden's Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist after his meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, about his country's decision on joining NATO.

Elephant spent 18 years in military intelligence, then went to work as a farmer growing wheat and sunflowers. The Russian invasion has pulled him back into the field.

World News

A member of Ukraine's parliament now trains a recon and sabotage unit to fight Russia

2:36pm May 18, 2022

by Frank Langfitt

Col. Roman Kostenko, a Ukrainian lawmaker, has built a reconnaissance and sabotage team to target Russian forces. His ultimate goal: free his family village from Russian control.

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Russian army Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin, 21, is seen behind glass during a court hearing in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Wednesday. Shishimarin pleaded guilty to killing an unarmed Ukrainian civilian.

World News

In a war crimes trial, a Russian soldier pleads guilty to killing a Ukrainian civilian

12:28pm May 18, 2022

by The Associated Press

Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin, 21, is facing the first war crimes trial since Russia invaded Ukraine. The Russian soldier could get life in prison for shooting a 62-year-old unarmed civilian in the head.

Basia Olszewska says she can't go back to living how she did before the war.

World News

How the war in Ukraine 'changed everything' for a generation of young Poles

5:00am May 18, 2022

Lilia Nguyen's perception of everything around her changed when she went to the border to help Ukrainian refugees shortly after the war began. The change has been felt by other young Poles.

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President of Finland Sauli Niinisto, left, and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson attend a joint news conference in Stockholm, Tuesday May 17, 2022.

Finland and Sweden formally submit NATO membership applications

3:07am May 18, 2022

by The Associated Press

The 30 member countries of the military alliance are expected to take up to two weeks to evaluate the applications.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives for a welcoming ceremony for his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, May 16, 2022.

U.S. officials seek clarity on Turkey's view of NATO expansion

2:05am May 18, 2022

by The Associated Press

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet his Turkish counterpart on Wednesday amid the contradictory signals from Ankara over the expected applications from Finland and Sweden.

Demonstrators in Krakow, Poland, hold a banner reading "Legal Abortion Without Compromise" at a December 2021 protest. Poland has some of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe.

Health & Safety

U.N. and advocates raise concerns of abortion access for Ukrainian refugees in Poland

9:10pm May 17, 2022

by Patrick Adams

Poland's abortion laws are among the strictest in Europe. Advocates are seeking to help Ukrainian refugees who wish to terminate a pregnancy — including women raped by Russian soldiers during the war.

World News

Polish young adults talk about the war in Ukraine's impact on their generation

5:44pm May 17, 2022

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Polish young adults about how the war in Ukraine and the influx of refugees is affecting their country.

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