Team

Chris York
News Operations EditorChris York is news operations editor at the Kyiv Independent. Before joining the team, he was head of news at the Kyiv Post. Previously, back in Britain, he spent nearly a decade working for HuffPost UK. He holds an MA in Conflict, Development, and Security from the University of Leeds.
Articles
Trump to exit Ukraine peace effort, Bolton says
The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York speaks with former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton about U.S. President Donald Trump’s failure to bring peace to Ukraine — and his next steps on Russia's war.

Ukraine's ambassador to the US to be dismissed, source says
by Chris York
Oksana Markarova has held the post since April 2021.

HUR publishes Russian military order, claims proof of Moscow increasing military footprint in Armenia
by Chris York
HUR first made the claim on July 5, saying Russia was increasing its forces at the Gyumri base to exert greater influence in the South Caucasus and "destabilize the global security situation."

'A powerful secondary explosion' — Ukrainian drones destroy Russian ammunition depot in Donetsk Oblast, SBU says
by Chris York
Unconfirmed videos posted to social media show a fire already burning followed by a large explosion and shockwave.
Failed US peace effort left Ukraine worse off, expert argues
The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York sat down with Michael McFaul, an academic and former U.S. ambassador to Russia (2012–2014), to discuss the state of the Ukraine-Russia peace process following U.S. President Donald Trump’s failed effort, the threat of U.S. disengagement, and a congressional bill introducing new sanctions against Russia and its trading partners supporting its war machine.

China unveils its new 'graphite bomb' — here's how they work
by Chris York
China's state TV broadcaster has revealed details of a new "graphite bomb" that can cause a "complete loss of electricity" across an area of 10,000 square meters, or knock out entire power stations, the South China Morning Post reported on June 29.
An animated video released by China's CCTV showed a missile being launched from a ground-based launcher and then flying to a target where it releases 90 small submunitions.
They then bounce on the ground before exploding amid a mock-up of an electri

Putin under pressure to declare war on Ukraine, but experts say Russia isn't ready
Despite suffering over 1 million casualties, pounding Ukrainian cities nightly with missiles and drones, and committing countless war crimes, one startling fact about Russia's full-scale invasion remains — Moscow has yet to officially declare war on Ukraine.
In February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin described what he believed was going to be a swift victory and the capture of Kyiv within days as a "special military operation."
Nearly three-and-a-half years later, the Kremlin is stuck

Europeans oppose following Trump if he pushes Ukraine to cede territory, lift Russia sanctions, poll finds
by Chris York
The wide-ranging survey also asked about attitudes to increasing defense spending and compulsory military service.

There's loads of video of Israeli air defenses, and none of Ukraine's — this is why
As Israel and Iran continue to trade salvos, dramatic footage of air defenses battling ballistic missiles have flooded the internet.
Several prominent online commentators have compared the videos coming out of Israel with those from Ukraine, questioning why Russian attacks like those on Kyiv are portrayed in relatively sparse detail, while those from cities like Tel Aviv show the full, terrifying spectacle of modern warfare.
Ivan Kyrychevskyi, a military expert with the Defense Express think t

Russia just accidentally admitted to its staggering troop losses in Ukraine
by Chris York
A senior Russian official on June 19 inadvertently confirmed the staggering troop losses incurred by Moscow's forces during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In an interview with CNN, Russian Ambassador to the U.K. Andrey Kelin was asked about Moscow's maximalist intentions in Ukraine and its ability to recruit enough soldiers to fulfill them.
Despite ongoing U.S.-led peace efforts, Russia continues to demand Ukraine withdraws from the four partially occupied regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kher

US group designed to pressure Russia into peace in Ukraine disbanded by Trump administration, Reuters reports
by Chris York
"It lost steam toward the end because the president wasn't there," an official told Reuters.

Israel-Iran war could provide economic boost Russia needs to continue fight against Ukraine
Israel's "preemptive" strikes against Iran targeting the country's nuclear program and killing top military officials could have far-reaching implications for Ukraine and could boost Russia's ability to continue its full-scale invasion, experts have told the Kyiv Independent.
Iran has been one of Russia's staunchest allies throughout the war, providing thousands of Shahed strike drones and short-range ballistic missiles.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has long been Israel's strongest backer and any escal

As Russian losses in Ukraine hit 1 million, Putin's war economy heads toward breaking point
by Chris York
Russian losses in Ukraine hit a massive, and grim milestone on June 12 — 1 million Russian soldiers killed or wounded during the 39-month-long full-scale war, according to figures from Kyiv.
Although hugely symbolic, the number is unlikely to prompt a change in tactics from Moscow as it gears up for more offensives this summer, and escalates drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian civilians.
But behind the figure lies an economic time bomb that the Kremlin will find impossible to ignore.
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What Russia's 1 million casualties mean for Ukraine
The Kyiv Independent's Chris York sits down with George Barros, team lead for the Russia and Ukraine portfolio at the Institute for the Study of War, to discuss what Russia’s approaching one million casualties mean for its war effort in Ukraine. They explore how the Kremlin might generate more forces — and what impact this could have on Russia’s economy.
Everything we know about Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb
Ukraine was jubilant on June 1 as news filtered through of a stunning drone attack targeting Russian heavy bombers that simultaneously attacked four air bases, two of them thousands of miles inside Russia. The Kyiv Independent's Chris York explains everything we know about Operation Spiderweb.
Editors' Picks

‘Neither side wasted time' — Ukraine's economy minister on minerals deal negotiations with Trump’s ‘business-oriented’ administration

Russia increasingly targets Ukraine's cities with cluster munitions, raising civilian toll

As US aid to Ukraine dries up, new platform connects American investors with Ukrainian startups
