Man detained after allegedly killing draft officer in Ukraine's Poltava Oblast
The Poltava Oblast National Police detained a man who allegedly shot a draft officer, stole his weapon, and escaped with another man overnight on Jan. 31.
Natalia Yermak
Articles
Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 9, injure 36 over past day
"Last night, Russia attacked our cities using various types of weapons: missiles, attack drones, and aerial bombs. Another terrorist crime," President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram in response to the attacks.
Update: Death toll in Russian missile strike on Poltava rises to 14, including 2 children
The attack destroyed all five floors of one of the building's sections, caused a fire, and damaged neighboring buildings. Search and rescue operations are ongoing at the site.
Ukraine's unlikely ally against Russian attacks on energy sector — warm weather
Nearly three years into the war, Ukrainians have grown used to bracing for brutal winters with electricity blackouts and heating cuts from Russian attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure. This winter was predicted to be one of the toughest ones of the war yet. In a worst-case scenario, blackouts
As government cuts support, some internally displaced Ukrainians return home — to Russian occupation
Last winter as Olena Morozova braced for a long and arduous trip to Ukrainian-controlled territory from her Russian-occupied home in Lysychansk in Luhansk Oblast, her friends were traveling in the opposite direction. The friends — a family with two sons — came back to their house in Lysychansk because they couldn’t
‘Ukraine today is in the strongest position ever,’ ex-foreign minister Kuleba says
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine inches toward the three-year mark, all eyes are on a potential peace agreement to end the war. If the parameters of any peace deal are likely to remain obscured for months to come, Ukraine’s ex-Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says one thing is clear
Ukraine war latest: Russia attempts to seize bridgehead on west bank of Dnipro, potentially for Kherson assault
Key developments on Dec. 24: * Russia trying to seize bridgehead on west bank of Dnipro, but no talk of storming Kherson, military says * Russia strikes apartment building in Kryvyi Rih on Christmas Eve, at least 1 killed, 13 injured * Ukrainian volunteers developing more powerful model of Trembita missile capable of
Ukraine receives first $1 billion as part of US batch of frozen Russian assets profits
This is the first tranche of the planned $20 billion that the U.S. intends to provide as part of the G7 initiative.
Deported Ukrainian teen allegedly commits suicide in Russia
Ukrainian-born Oleksandr Yakushchenko, 18, who was deported from the Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast in 2022, was found dead after allegedly committing suicide on Jan. 10, 2024 near his foster home in Russia.
Russia strikes apartment building in Kryvyi Rih on Christmas Eve, at least 1 killed, 15 injured
Preliminary reports say that a Russian ballistic missile hit a four-story apartment building in the city, according to Mayor Oleksandr Vilkul. "Unfortunately, we're preparing for difficult news," Vilkul said in a statement.
Breakaway churches, spiritual awakenings, prayers in captivity. How war is changing Ukraine’s faith
For a decade, the world has seen how Russia has scarred Ukraine’s landscape with tens of thousands of bombs and missiles. The spiritual wounds — and awakenings — experienced by millions of Ukrainians are less visible. Almost a third of Ukrainians say their religious faith has grown since the war broke
How the downfall of Russia-backed Assad in Syria may affect Ukraine war
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.
Scholz criticized opposition for proposing Taurus missiles ultimatum for Russia
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz criticized opposition leader Friedrich Merz for proposing that Berlin send Russia an ultimatum about possible deliveries of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.
Almost 40% of Russians think nuclear strike on Ukraine is justified, Russian sociologist says
Vladimir Putin's talks of a potential nuclear strike "gradually lead to an increase in the proportion of (Russians) who believe it is acceptable, in fact, morally justified," Russian sociologist Alexey Levinson said.
Russian general charged in absentia for ordering missile strike on Chernihiv theater in 2023
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) charged Russian Colonel-General Yevgeny Nikiforov in absentia for ordering a missile strike on a Chernihiv theater that killed seven people and wounded 200 in August 2023, the SBU announced on Nov. 30.
Ukraine destroys 3 more Russian radar systems in Crimea, military intelligence claims
The radars include two 48Y6-K1 Podlet systems worth $5 million each and one Kasta-2E2 radar, estimated to cost around $30 million.
Ukraine downs 8 Russian drones, at least 2 killed and 6 wounded over the past day
Russia targeted Ukraine with Iranian-designed Shahed drones and an unspecified type of drone launched from the Russian oblasts of Kursk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk, according to Ukraine's Air Force.
West provided enough aid for 2.5 brigades out of requested 10, Zelensky says
"They speak about mobilization, but the real problem [is] with 10 brigades which our partners didn't equip," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Sky News published on Nov. 29.
Ukraine’s fight against Russian invasion undermined by draft-dodging graft
Heavy fighting on the front lines of Russia’s full-scale invasion, dragging out for almost three years, has left thousands of Ukrainian soldiers seriously injured or killed in action. Many still fighting for years along more than 600 miles of the front line in Ukraine’s east and south are
Ukrainian soldiers react to Trump's victory: 'This could be a disaster,' others say Biden was 'impotent'
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
Ukrainians react to Trump's US election victory
A few hours after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Donald Trump on winning the 2024 U.S. presidential election, we asked Ukrainians on the streets of Kyiv what they thought about Trump's victory and his most controversial quotes about Ukraine and Russia's war.
This is what Ukrainians in Kyiv think about Trump’s election victory
As Donald Trump triumphs in the U.S. presidential election, Ukrainians brace themselves for what it means for their nation.
As drone strikes surge, Russia's next mass missile attack on Kyiv likely imminent, experts and weary residents say
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
US has provided Ukraine with over $64 billion in military aid since start of full-scale invasion, Umerov says
"Your unwavering support is not just a gesture of friendship. It's a powerful symbol of the shared values that bind our nations together," Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said alongside U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
At least 102 Ukrainian POWs executed by Russia, ombudsman says
According to Dmytro Lubinets, the actual number of such cases is likely much higher since it is difficult to document Russian war crimes without supporting evidence such as videos of the executions.
Romania says drone breached its airspace during Russia's attack on Ukraine
It is the second time this week that Romanian airspace has been violated.
Russian major killed by car bomb in occupied Luhansk, Ukraine's intelligence claims
Russian Major Dmitriy Pervukha, allegedly involved in war crimes against Ukraine, was killed in the center of Russian-occupied Luhansk after his car exploded, Ukraine's military intelligence said on Oct. 19.
Russian attacks kill 4 people over the past day, cause power outages in 3 Ukrainian regions
Ukraine's Energy Ministry reported on the morning of Oct. 19 that over 73,000 consumers in three oblasts were left without electricity due to Russia's recent attacks.
Russian electronics plant reportedly on fire after drone strike in Bryansk
"Kremniy EL" is one of the largest microelectronics plants in Russia that produces components widely used in Russian defense production, including for Pantsir air defense systems and Iskander missile systems.
Young Ukrainians killed in Russia’s war inspire others to fight on
Editor’s Note: The following article is the latest in a series of reports by the Kyiv Independent about the memorialization of Ukraine’s fallen soldiers. Ukrainians gathered at war memorials around the country on Oct. 1, the country’s National Defenders Day, to honor the soldiers killed defending their
Ukraine's victory delayed by West's fears of Russian defeat, Canadian-Ukrainian lawyer turned soldier says
Daniel Bilak is a Canadian-Ukrainian lawyer living in Ukraine for decades, taking on critical roles in what has been a rollercoaster career amidst Ukraine's fight to prosper while defending its freedom. He has played a big role in attracting investment into the country, first as a lawyer and later, from
US sense of urgency questioned as billions in Ukraine aid hangs in balance
News that $6 billion worth of outstanding U.S. military aid to Ukraine could expire by the end of September if Congress doesn’t take urgent action is unsettling some in Kyiv, where the painful memory of a larger package delay that led to battlefield losses remains fresh. Delivering the
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