French presidential contender meets with Zelensky in Kyiv
Edouard Philippe has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war.
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Kate Tsurkan
Culture ReporterKate Tsurkan is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent who writes mostly about culture-related topics. Her newsletter Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan, which focuses specifically on Ukrainian culture, is published weekly by the Kyiv Independent and is partially supported by a generous grant from the Nadia Sophie Seiler Fund. Kate co-translated Oleh Sentsov’s “Diary of a Hunger Striker,” Myroslav Laiuk’s “Bakhmut,” Andriy Lyubka’s “War from the Rear,” and Khrystia Vengryniuk’s “Long Eyes,” among other books. Some of her previous writing and translations have appeared in the New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Harpers, the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and elsewhere. She is the co-founder of Apofenie Magazine and, in addition to Ukrainian and Russian, also knows French.
Articles
Zelensky, Tsikhanouskaya meet during exiled Belarusian opposition leader's first official Kyiv visit
"Recently, Lukashenko said that it is time for the presidents of Ukraine and Belarus to meet," Zelensky said during his speech at the summit. "It turned out quite interesting: Lukashenko said it, but Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya came instead. Glad to see you, Sviatlana."
Russia's latest assault on Kyiv turns Ukraine's cultural heritage into another front line
In one of the most devastating attacks on Kyiv since the start of the full-scale war, Russia’s missiles and drones targeted some of the city’s most treasured cultural landmarks.
The National Art Museum, the Chornobyl Museum, the National Philharmonic, the Ukrainian National Academy of Music, the Kyiv Opera Theater, the Yaroslav Mudryi National Library, the Ukrainian House, and a number of other cultural institutions all reported varying levels of damage after the May 24 assault.
The Foreign Mi
The many deaths of Symon Petliura
A century ago, on May 25, 1926, an otherwise ordinary afternoon in Paris’ bohemian Latin Quarter was disrupted by a barrage of gunshots, leaving one of Ukraine’s famous military leaders dead in the street.
“I emptied my revolver,” Samuel “Scholem” Schwartzbard, the Jewish-Ukrainian man who killed Symon Petliura, told the court, as quoted by Time magazine in 1927.
“A policeman came up quietly and said: ‘Is that enough?’ I answered: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Then give me your revolver.’ I gave him the re
Remains of 20th century Ukrainian military leader Andrii Melnyk brought to Kyiv for reburial
"Today, Ukraine is bringing home not only an outstanding figure — we are restoring a part of our own historical memory," the statement from the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ reads.
Ukraine condemns Israel's mistreatment of detained Gaza activists
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called it "unacceptable and incompatible with respect for human dignity, human rights, and international law."
Ukraine qualifies for 2026 Eurovision finals
Ukraine has consistently qualified for the Eurovision final since it began participating in 2003 and won in 2004 with Ruslana's "Wild Dances," in 2016 with Jamala's "1944," and in 2022 with Kalush Orchestra's "Stefania."
How Iuliia Mendel went from defending Zelensky to echoing Kremlin-friendly narratives
Iuliia Mendel has been all-in in her attempt to discredit her former boss, President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him "a dictator" and "the greatest obstacle to peace" in Ukraine.
Mendel's transformation is mesmerizing.
Just four years after publishing a book heaping praise on Zelensky, the former press secretary appeared on right-wing U.S. podcaster Tucker Carlson's show on May 11, speaking on how her home country is corrupt, the president may be a drug addict, and speculated that he was willi
Hungary summons Russian ambassador after attack on neighboring Zakarpattia Oblast in Ukraine
Russia launched more than 800 drones in the mass attack on May 13, killing at least six people and injuring dozens more, including children. Ukraine's western Zakarpattia Oblast, home to a Hungarian minority, was among the areas targeted.
Khamzat Chimaev and the UFC's Kadyrov problem
MMA star Khamzat Chimaev’s first defeat at UFC 328 on May 10 wasn’t just a blow to his 15-0 undefeated record — it was a rare moment of silence from the Chechen fighter. After the judges declared American Sean Strickland the winner of the match, Chimaev placed the championship belt around his opponent’s waist and left the ring without addressing the crowd.
It was a radically different end compared to his usual post-match displays of bravado, which have included the slogan “Akhmat — sila” (“Akhm
Pussy Riot, Femen storm Russian pavilion at Venice Biennale
Police on the premises tackled members from the feminist protest groups who were able to make it inside the building, according to a joint press release.
Ukraine condemns Egypt for allowing transit of stolen grain
"Ukraine is a country that has played the role of a reliable food security guarantor for Egypt for many years — and we don't understand why Egyptian partners pay us back by continuing to accept stolen Ukrainian grain," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
Ukraine's culture minister on why culture 'needs KPIs' to succeed
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the country's culture has finally received the attention it had previously lacked.
But Culture Minister Tetyana Berezhna aims for more than mere survival — she envisions a cultural sphere that thrives and becomes a major economic driver for Ukraine.
In a conversation with the Kyiv Independent, Berezhna explains why culture needs measurable goals to succeed both nationally and internationally, how her experience in law, economics, and go
UK sanctions Russian individuals, entities responsible for exploiting migrants in its war effort
"The practice of exploiting vulnerable people to prop up Russia’s failing and illegal war in Ukraine is barbaric," U.K. Sanctions Minister Stephen Doughty said.
Russian archaeologist freed in US-brokered prisoner exchange vows to return to occupied Crimea
In his interview with Russian state-controlled media, Butyagin also thanked the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) and other government bodies for their efforts to secure his release.
Editors' Picks
Our readers' questions about the war, answered. Vol. 11
Russia's latest assault on Kyiv turns Ukraine's cultural heritage into another front line
Ukraine turns up heat on Lukashenko despite limited signs of new military threat
