Ukrainians woke up on Nov. 20 to a message that a number of foreign embassies were closing their Kyiv offices — a stark reminder of the departure of foreign diplomats from Kyiv days before the start of the all-out war. The U.S. Embassy in the capital said it had received
The first reports of Ukraine striking deep inside Russia with U.S.-supplied ATACMS emerged on Nov. 19, marking a long-awaited shift in White House policy that could bolster Ukraine's defense against a 50,000-strong joint Russian-North Korean force assembled against them. President Joe Biden's decision to finally grant Kyiv
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Nov. 19 that Ukraine had launched the U.S.-made ATACMS missiles against Russia's Bryansk Oblast. Hours prior, Ukraine struck a Russian military facility in Karachev, Bryansk Oblast, a two-hour drive from the Ukrainian-controlled part of Russia. President Joe Biden's decision to finally allow
The Kyiv Independent sat down with retired U.S. Lieutenant General Ben Hodges to discuss the reports that U.S. President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use long-range ATACMS missiles for strikes inside Russia.
Donald Trump's entrance into the White House on Jan. 20 promises to offer a seismic shift in the U.S.'s approach to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and a potential "freezing" of the war. Trump has repeatedly pledged to end the war within "24 hours," sparking fears he might
The long and troubled history of Russia's prized Su-57 fighter jet appeared to take another turn for the worse in recent days when what should have been an opportunity for the Kremlin to flex some military muscle turned into global ridicule and embarrassment. The aircraft made an impressive aerobatic display
Republican Senator Marco Rubio is likely to be the next U.S. secretary of state, according to reports on Nov. 12 that mark the latest insight into how President-elect Donald Trump's White House will approach Russia's war in Ukraine. Trump, leader of the Republican party who was elected president on
The figure surpasses the previous record of 1,770 set just the day before.
In Kyiv and cities across Ukraine, sirens sounded, people headed to shelters, and emergency blackouts were introduced.
U.S. President Joe Biden this week became a "lame duck," entering the period between White House administrations traditionally seen as one of waning influence, increasing irrelevance, and menial administrative preparation for the successor. But it can also be a period of opportunity — relatively unburdened by responsibility and accountability, many
A few hours after Donald Trump was declared the winner of the U.S. presidential election, the Kyiv Independent sat down with Ambassador Kurt Volker, who served as the U.S. special representative for Ukraine negotiations in 2017-2019, and as U.S. ambassador to NATO in 2008-2009.
Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 6, after months of repeatedly claiming he could end Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in a day. To do that, he will have to do what he claims he does best — negotiate a deal. Ambassador Kurt Volker is one person
Donald Trump claimed victory in the U.S. presidential elections on Nov. 6, bringing additional uncertainty for many Ukrainian soldiers who already struggle to see the future of the war. Though doubt looms over Trump's moves in the coming months, his warm relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his
Trump has repeatedly said he could end Russia's war "in 24 hours." What is his plan?
"They said ‘he will start a war.’ I’m not going to start a war, I’m going to stop the wars," said Donald Trump during a speech in which he claimed victory in the 2024 presidential elections.
Voting in arguably one of the most consequential elections of modern times is set to conclude on Nov. 5, as U.S. citizens will pick their country's 47th president. Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump enter the home stretch neck-and-neck, according to recent polls, with neither
Russian losses in Ukraine have passed the 700,000 mark, according to figures released by Kyiv on Nov. 4, just 77 days after they hit 600,000, according to the same source. According to Kyiv, casualty rates among Moscow's forces have surged in recent months — October saw an average of
Russia launched more than 2,000 strike drones against Ukraine during October, the General Staff reported on Nov. 1, breaking the previous record set in September by nearly 700.
Russia's aerial attacks against Kyiv have changed dramatically in recent weeks, becoming far more frequent yet far less destructive. Moscow has ramped up drone strikes on the capital — which overnight on Oct. 31 was attacked for the 20th time this month — and the rest of the country, while dialing down
Ukraine faces a "pretty grim" situation in Donetsk Oblast in the east of the country as Russian forces make some of their swiftest advances since the summer of 2022, according to experts and OSINT analysts. "The last week has been extremely difficult for the Ukrainians — the Russians were able to
While Kyiv did not confirm whether Russia captured the town, an expert told the Kyiv Independent that Selydove is effectively "lost."
Oleksandr Merezhko, the chair of the parliament's foreign affairs policy, said that upon taking office, Trump would soon have to "face reality" and any such plan would fail in light of political realities.
Ukraine faces a tricky dilemma as winter approaches. How can it disrupt an expected mass Russian missile campaign targeting the country's infrastructure while simultaneously being barred from using Western-supplied weapons to strike deep inside Russia? Despite being limited to the use of long-range kamikaze drones, one method employed by Kyiv
For the second time this month, Russian forces have suffered their second deadliest day since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to figures released by Kyiv. The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces on Oct. 25 reported 1,630 Russian casualties over the past day, surpassing the
The comments from Michael R. Turner, a long-serving member of the Republican party, are the strongest by far from a U.S. politician on the matter.
South Korea has hinted it could change its long-standing stance on not providing Ukraine directly with weapons in light of the dramatic escalation of North Korea's role in Russia's full-scale invasion. So far, Seoul has only provided humanitarian and non-lethal military aid to Kyiv, but on Oct. 22, a South
The Kyiv Independent spoke with former U.K. Defense Attaché in Moscow, John Foreman CBE, about what this development might mean for the future of Russia's war and the global landscape.
Russia's war in Ukraine is on the verge of escalating dramatically, with multiple reports, intelligence assessments, and a video suggesting North Korean troops could soon be fighting alongside Kremlin forces. While Pyongyang has long supplied Moscow with weaponry, the deployment of boots on the ground would mark a significant development
The bloodiest day for Moscow's forces was on May 13 when they suffered a reported 1,740 casualties.
Russia's war in Ukraine may have reached a new stage this week, with reports that North Korea has moved from supplying Moscow with weapons to sending its own troops. A Western diplomat familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent on Oct. 15 Pyongyang has sent 10,000 soldiers to
As Russia and North Korea deepen military ties, Western diplomats and experts stress that it shows Moscow's increasing need for resources to continue waging its costly war in Ukraine.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to include President Volodymyr Zelensky's Oct. 14 statements regarding North Korea. President Volodymyr Zelensky on Oct. 14 said that Russia plans to involve North Korea directly in the full-scale war against Ukraine over the coming months. Russia's plans for the fall and winter
