In this week’s episode, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur breaks down the back-and-forth developments surrounding peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey. As negotiations stall, the battle rages on in multiple sectors of the front.
During his visit to Washington on Feb. 28, President Volodymyr Zelensky had a heated exchange with U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance over ways to end Russia's war against Ukraine. Trump and Vance have repeatedly claimed that Zelensky has not been sufficiently grateful for U.S. support throughout the war. The Kyiv Independent has compiled instances where Zelensky has publicly expressed gratitude to the U.S., its people, and its leadership for being Ukraine’s largest supporter.
While Ukraine heavily relies on foreign aid, the country’s war effort is also funded by its own people. In 2024 alone, individual volunteers and fundraisers have raised nearly $1 billion to buy critical weapons and equipment for the Ukrainian military. But why do ordinary Ukrainians continue donating when international aid exists? And how has Ukraine’s unique culture of giving become a lifeline for the country’s survival?
The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell sits down with Rob Lee, former U.S. marine infantry officer and senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Eurasia Program. They discuss the evolving battlefield realities as Russia’s war on Ukraine enters its 4th year and why peace negotiations are unlikely to bring results any time soon.
As Russia's war in Ukraine rages on, millions have been forced to flee their towns, leaving behind their homes and communities. In Lviv, one center for internally displaced persons brings people together and rebuilds bonds through street culture.
Russia is holding a so-called presidential election on March 15-17. However, it is not entirely fair to call this an "election." The Kyiv Independent's Oleg Sukhov explains why.
What is it like living in Kyiv during the war? We at the Kyiv Independent often hear this question from our friends and readers abroad. In this video, our reporter, Daria Shulzhenko, will guide you through everyday life in the Ukrainian capital amidst the full-scale invasion.
The Russian offensive in Avdiivka has been an undisputed failure so far. Russian gains have amounted to little more than a handful of treelines on the flanks. The Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell explains how it happened and what to expect in the future.
Oleksiy Sorokin, deputy chief editor of the Kyiv Independent, explains how the ATACMS provided to Ukraine work, how they differ from other long-range missiles, and what will now change on the battlefield.
After Russia’s relentless attacks in 2022, the port city of Mariupol in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast was left in ruins. Yet this has not stopped Russians from buying up houses and flats in Mariupol, or even trying to exchange them for their property in Russia.
The Kyiv Independent asks people on the streets of Kyiv how Russia’s full-scale war affects their mental health and how they cope with it.
On Aug. 24, 2023, Ukraine marked its 32nd Independence Day. But is Ukraine really just 32 years old? The Kyiv Independent addressed this question to historians. Everything you didn’t know about Ukraine’s flagAt a small exhibit at the National History Museum in Kyiv on Ukraine’s flag, one
The Wagner Group — a Russian private military company owned by oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin — has been at the forefront of Russia’s efforts to capture the city of Bakhmut in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast. What is it, and why does Moscow use it?
When did Russia's war against Ukraine start? Spoiler: not in 2022. Moscow has been trying (often successfully) to subjugate the territories that make up modern Ukraine for nearly 400 years.
Kyiv Independent reporter Francis Farrell speaks to John Spencer, U.S. veteran and chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point.
The liberation of Ukrainian settlements from Russian occupation inevitably comes with the revelation of new war crimes committed by Russian soldiers. In the liberated village of Chornobaivka, Kherson Oblast, at least 18 people were killed during its occupation.
The world’s nuclear security is under threat as Russia occupies the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and uses it as a base to launch attacks on Ukraine. The Kyiv Independent explains why this is an unprecedented event and if the Zaporizhzhia plant will become the next Chornobyl.
As the four-van convoy rolls into the village of Stepanivka in Donetsk Oblast, volunteers hop out and raise a large tent to shield them from the summer sun. A small group of local onlookers quickly grows as people stream out of their homes towards the tent. The humanitarian aid is
Days after Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine, reports of the invading troops lacking decent provisions have surfaced on the internet. The Kyiv Independent’s defense reporter Illia Ponomarenko and investigative reporter Igor Kossov compare Russian and Ukrainian MREs, debunking some of the earlier misconceptions about Russia’s readiness
