The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has carried out the first interrogation of two Chinese nationals captured while fighting for Russia in Ukraine, it announced on April 9. Here’s everything we know so far about the two POWs, as well as more than 160 other Chinese nationals reportedly serving in Russia’s Armed Forces, according to the documents seen by the Kyiv Independent.
Ukrainian author Yuri Andrukhovych spoke with Kate Tsurkan about the 40 year anniversary of his co-founding of Bu-Ba-Bu, a literary counter-culture phenomenon, and the dangers faced by pro-Ukrainian artists in the Soviet times.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s negotiation strategy in Afghanistan resulted in a capitulation to the Taliban and abandoning U.S. allies. As the world awaits a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, what could a deal brokered by Trump actually look like? The Kyiv Independent’s Masha Lavrova dives into the last time Trump sought to end a war and what it could mean for Ukraine.
In the wake of the Feb. 28 clash between U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, the Kyiv Independent went to the streets of Kyiv to ask Ukrainians what they think of the now infamous meeting.
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.
The Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur breaks down the stories impacting Ukraine this week. The U.S. special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg visited Kyiv as the U.S. President Donald Trump’s team started talks with Russia about a ceasefire deal — without Ukraine’s involvement.
The Kyiv Independent’s Martin Fornusek speaks with former Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, at the 2025 Munich Security Conference as U.S. officials undermine Ukraine’s NATO prospects and territorial integrity ahead of peace negotiations with Russia.
This Sunday, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur breaks down U.S. President Donald Trump’s first official call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as the controversial comments made by Trump’s team that may spell out an ominous warning for Ukraine. We’re also joined by our
Russia has resorted to a "shadow fleet" to transport its oil and gas to get around Western sanctions and price caps. The Kyiv Independent spoke with Elisabeth Braw, a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's Transatlantic Security Initiative, to find out what options the West has and how dangerous the shadow fleet actually is.
This Sunday, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur gives updates on Ukraine-Russia peace talks, U.S. President Donald Trump’s ongoing aid freeze, and the debate surrounding a deadly strike on civilian infrastructure in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
This week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur covers the top stories in Ukraine, from the U.S. foreign aid freeze to the battle of Chasiv Yar and the general situation on the battlefield. Also, what is the condition of the Australian POW in Russia’s hands?
The Kyiv Independent analyzed leaked emails of a Russian defense company revealing Russia’s arms trade after the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The letters confirm that Russia continued to fulfill a huge contract signed shortly before the attack on Ukraine to supply its air defense systems and missiles to Saudi Arabia.
Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump promised to end the Ukraine-Russia war during his campaign. As inauguration approaches on Jan. 20, the Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell lays out the four scenarios that could see an end to the war in Ukraine — for better or worse.
After numerous attempts, Ukrainian forces operating in Russia’s Kursk Oblast have finally captured two North Korean soldiers. Watch this video to find out why capturing North Korean soldiers is so challenging — and how Ukrainian forces ultimately succeeded.
This Sunday, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur covers the trending news of the week from developments on the front lines to the Ramstein meeting with top officials. And what happened with the new brigade trained in France?
In this year-end wrap up of Ukraine This Week, host Anna Belokur covers the 2024 events in Ukraine and what they meant.
While the diamond industry markets itself as a beacon of luxury, the complex web of global trade hides dark, brutal reality. Despite sanctions and growing scrutiny, Russian diamonds continue to enter the global market, funding Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, host Anna Belokur dives into Russia’s withdrawal from Syria after the dictator Bashar al-Assad’s downfall, as well as a front line update from Ukraine and the controversy surrounding mobilizing younger men.
The Kyiv Independent’s Natalia Yermak sat down with Neil Quilliam, a Middle East expert at Chatham House, to talk about what it means for Russia’s war in Ukraine and how it might put Kyiv and the West in a more favorable position in the potential peace negotiations with Moscow.
Something is wrong with YouTuber Johnny Harris’ lens — not the one he uses to film himself, but his view of Eastern European history. Known for his unquenchable thirst for maps and archival documents, Harris has become a prominent voice on geopolitics and history. If you're unfamiliar with him, Harris developed
For the 30th anniversary of the Budapest Memorandum, The Kyiv Independent’s Daria Shulzhenko visits a former Soviet-era nuclear missile silo in south Ukraine.
In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, host Anna Belokur explains the recent meeting between U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky, the escalating protests in Georgia, U.S. commentator Tucker Carlson's surprise interview with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and the Johnny Harris controversy.
The Kyiv Independent’s reporter Oleg Sukhov sat down with Robert Kelley to discuss whether the weapon Ukraine gave up would be of much use now and if the country still has the capacity to produce a nuclear device.
In an exclusive interview with the Kyiv Independent, Kaja Kallas, the newly appointed vice-president of the European Commission and top EU diplomat, discusses Ukraine support and recent EU sanctions against Russia. Kallas visited Kyiv on Dec. 1, the first day in her new role.
Ukraine This Week's host, Anna Belokur, discusses Russia's attacks on Ukraine and its record losses, the ruble plunging to its lowest level since 2022, Joe Rogan's recent comments about Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky, and why the West should do exactly what Rogan is preaching against: hit Russia where it
The Kyiv Independent's Dinara Khalilova sits down with the former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Steven Pifer, to discuss the political implications of Russia's attack on Dnipro with a nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile last week.
In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur reports on Russia’s recent missile strike using a new ballistic weapon. Meanwhile, Twitter owner and Donald Trump ally Elon Musk throws an online jab at President Volodymyr Zelensky.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has already announced the first appointments for his cabinet, who will advise him on everything from foreign policy to national security. We break down how these individuals may influence Trump's policies on Ukraine and Russia.
Can Ukraine actually lower the mobilization age? There’s a complication many don’t know about.
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.
The Kyiv Independent fills in the gaps in the story of Sergey Korolev, Vladimir Putin’s second-main spy chief, stripping him of a significant portion of his long-lived anonymity.
