ODESA, Ukraine — Hennadiy Trukhanov's day-to-day is not what it used to be. The once all-powerful mayor is now under house arrest, his passport stripped by presidential decree. He invites the Kyiv Independent to his guest house and pleads his innocence. Trukhanov admits that his political career is over. "For now," he adds. "And then we'll see. I have no doubt I'll get my Ukrainian citizenship back." Trukhanov, 60, has led Ukraine's largest port city, Odesa, for 11 years. Throughout his entir

During his presidential campaign, Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted two key failings of then-President Petro Poroshenko: corruption and nepotism. Six years into his own presidency, Zelensky has found himself on the receiving end of the exact same criticism, drowning in a corruption scandal. These days, Ukraine is being rocked by the largest corruption scandal of Zelensky’s term. At its center is a close associate of Zelensky — Timur Mindich, his former business partner, co-owner of the Kvartal 95

Timur Mindich, a former business partner of President Volodymyr Zelensky, is the co-owner of Kvartal 95, a production company founded by the president. According to the Kyiv Independent sources in law enforcement, Mindich had fled prior to the searches.

The recent Russian attack destroyed all restored capacity, leaving the plants generating no power, the state-owned energy company Centrenergo said on Nov. 8.

The Russian strike killed 12 servicemen and seven civilians, while 36 others were injured, according to the Prosecutor General's Office.

Ukrainian forces downed 406 out of the 458 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Russia also launched 45 cruise and ballistic missiles, nine of which were downed, the statement said.

Russia launched yet another wide-ranging attack on Ukrainian cities overnight on Nov. 8, using a combination of drone and missiles to strike targets across the country.

"We have received a full sanctions exemption for the Turk Stream and Druzhba pipelines," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said. Reuters reported that the exemption was granted for one year.

Gunvor, which is registered in Cyprus and headquartered in Switzerland, was founded in 1997 by Gennady Timchenko, a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Swedish billionaire Torbjörn Törnqvist.

A winter support package proposed by President Volodymyr Zelensky's administration is facing strong criticism, with opponents calling it a populist scheme to boost the government’s dwindling popularity. The government is preparing a series of support programs to help ease the economic burden on Ukrainians as the country enters what is expected to be a difficult winter of Russian attacks. They include a Hr 1,000 ($24) one-time payment for all Ukrainians, 3,000 kilometers of free travel across U

The arrest and detention of a former top energy official in Ukraine this week is an alarming new episode of democratic backsliding, Ukraine's civil society and lawmakers say — the latest in a series of politically motivated attacks on individuals and institutions. Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, formerly head of Ukraine’s state grid operator Ukrenergo, was arrested on Oct. 28 in western Ukraine and accused of hiding from pre-trial investigation, his lawyers told the Kyiv Independent. The accusations aga

When Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov was stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship, a move that immediately ended his political career, some local residents erupted in celebration. The questionable practice of stripping Ukrainian citizens of their citizenship was applauded by those who spent years battling the tainted mayor. Seen by his opponents as pro-Russian and corrupt, Trukhanov, who led Odesa since 2014, was charged with negligence soon after his passport was revoked. He was bound to house ar

At the hearing, Volodymyr Kudrytskyi's lawyer, Mykola Hrabyk, called the allegations "unfounded," saying that the case materials contain no evidence of criminal wrongdoing on his part.

"The American decision involves halting the rotation in Europe of a brigade that had units in several NATO countries," the Romanian Defense Ministry said.

The controversial former mayor of Odesa, Hennadiy Trukhanov, has been charged with negligence over his handling of a heavy rainstorm and flooding that devastated the coastal city late last month, the Prosecutor General's Office confirmed on Oct. 29.