Editor’s note: As per the regulations of the unit, soldiers interviewed for this article, many of whom have relatives remaining in Russian-occupied territory, are identified by first name and/or callsign only. SOUTHEASTERN UKRAINE – After months of seeing Russia’s war against Ukraine through the drab gray-brown landscapes of
Key developments on May 17: * Patriot still operational, radar not damaged * Defense Ministry: Ukraine advances 500 meters near Bakhmut over past day * US House Foreign Affairs Committee supports resolution on special tribunal for Russia U.S. officials do not believe the Patriot air defense system must be removed from the
Khmelnytskyi Oblast Administration reported on May 13 that 21 people were wounded in Russia's overnight drone attack on the region.
ZAPORIZHZHIA – Stuck between a worksite frozen in time and a highway facing the Dnipro River, the volunteer’s center was not easy to find. The anonymous building hardly betrayed any sign of human activity from the outside. Everything was wrapped in an eerie silence until a door opened, spilling a
Key developments on May 10: * Journalists geolocate 223 military facilities in Russian-occupied Crimea * Kremlin claims no knowledge of Wagner boss' lack of ammunition complaint * Kuleba says Ukraine may launch more than one counteroffensive * Russia's Victory Day parade shows material, logistical issues * Russian Kh-55 missile likely fell in Poland in December
“This Week in Ukraine” is a video podcast hosted by Kyiv Independent’s reporter Anastasiia Lapatina. Every week, Anastasiia sits down with her newsroom colleagues to discuss Ukraine’s most pressing issues. Episode #6 is dedicated to Ukrainian grain exports, and how they destabilize European domestic markets. Anastasiia is joined
Editor's Note: Some soldiers declined to give their last names to the Kyiv Independent for safety reasons as they plan to return to fight on the front line once their rehabilitation is over. ZAPORIZHZHIA – Serhii Demko's active duty is over. He had served since the first day of the Russian
Negotiations over a European import ban on Ukrainian grain between the European Commission and its eastern flank members were stalled as of April 23. Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria asked to extend protection measures after the EU's one-year decision to abolish customs duties, while they claim Ukrainian grain glut
ORIKHIV, HULIAIPOLE, Zaporizhzhia Oblast – A massive rumble shakes the basement under the partly destroyed administrative building, followed by another blast much closer. “Not good,” says 51-year-old Svitlana Mandrich, Orikhiv’s deputy mayor, looking warily at the sandbags protecting the cellar’s vent. Mandrich is in charge of keeping the small
Zaporizhzhia Oblast – In a split-second, two Ukrainian jets appear over the road, releasing chaff that sets off a couple of Russian anti-aircraft missiles. It allows one of the planes to hit a Russian position that billows with black smoke rising over the trees, leaving no doubt on how close the
Editor's Note: The Ukrainian soldiers featured in this article don't share their family names for security reasons. ZAPORIZHZHIA OBLAST – A couple of running gray silhouettes appear on the phone screen of drone unit commander Ashot, call sign "Doc." "They saw the drone, see?" he pointed at them. A few seconds
The Kyiv Independent: Opinion is a series of videos where our journalists share their thoughts on various political, social, and other issues. In this video, our reporter Alexander Query, a native of France, contemplates why many in his home country, and in Europe in general, romanticize Russia.
ZAPORIZHZHIA – Ten hours after the Russian missile attack that destroyed a five-story apartment building in Zaporizhzhia, first responders were still looking for survivors. A Russian S-300 missile hit the building around 1:30 a.m. on March 2. As of 11:30 a.m., the attack killed four people and
Just an hour after Russian bombs began raining down on Ukrainian cities around 4:30 a.m. on Feb. 24, Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) swiftly imposed martial law nationwide. The move was understandable in the face of a full-scale invasion. But it also effectively extended the
Oleksiy Danilov rarely cracks a smile. The gruff-looking 60-year-old National Security and Defense Council secretary doesn't have much to smile about. One year after their botched attempt to dismantle Ukrainian statehood, Russians are expected to launch another major offensive in an attempt to turn the tide of the war. The
