What Ukraine's week of news said by 25 May 2018

What did the news in Ukraine look like as of 25 May 2018? The days leading up to that date brought a mix of law enforcement, sport, diplomacy and war, each reported separately but together giving a picture of a country dealing with several pressures at once.

Football under investigation

On 22 May 2018, the National Police of Ukraine announced a large-scale operation in a case concerning fixed matches in Ukrainian football. Police said 35 clubs were under suspicion. They documented at least 57 episodes of crime, involving more than 328 people.

A step away from the CIS

On 19 May 2018, President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree ending Ukraine's participation in the statutory bodies of the Commonwealth of Independent States for good.

Fighting in Donbas

Also on 19 May 2018, Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation said Russian-led militants had carried out 43 attacks on Ukrainian troops in Donbas in the previous 24 hours. According to the report, artillery systems were used, and 120mm and 82mm mortars were fired 10 times. No Ukrainian servicemen were casualties. Intelligence data indicated that two militants were killed and three wounded.

A record on the tennis court

There was also sporting good news. On 20 May 2018, Elina Svitolina won the WTA Premier tournament in Rome, beating the world number one, Simona Halep. The win set a national record for the number of tournaments won.

Taken together, these reports show the range of what Ukrainians were following in the days before 25 May 2018: a sweeping police case in domestic sport, a formal political decision on regional institutions, daily reports from the front line, and a sporting achievement abroad.