As Russia bombards Ukraine with Shahed drones almost every night, the 12th Army Aviation Brigade takes to the skies in decades-old helicopters to intercept them. The Kyiv Independent’s Kollen Post joined the pilots to understand how they fly, maneuver, and shoot down drones in darkness — and what keeps them going.

In Kharkiv, a city living under constant Russian fire, students are shaping Ukraine’s future from underground classrooms and makeshift labs.

Pokrovsk, a city that held back some of Russia’s fiercest assaults for over a year, is now on the verge of falling. The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell explains how the battle reached this point and what Pokrovsk’s fall could mean for the wider defense of Donetsk Oblast.

The Kyiv Independent’s Jared Goyette sat down with Brazilian volunteer fighter Everson Neves about his experience of fighting for Ukraine and the growing concerns over South American soldiers and their possible links to organized crime.

As winter approaches and Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy system intensify, a small unit from the 3rd Army Corps spends sleepless nights hunting long-range Shahed drones on the front line in Kharkiv Oblast — before they reach Ukrainian cities.

The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York sits down with U.S. defense expert Tom Karako to discuss how the potential provision of the Tomahawk — the U.S.’s most advanced cruise missile — to Ukraine could affect the course of Russia’s war and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s calculations.

In Donetsk Oblast, volunteers from across the world serve in the International Battalion of Ukraine’s Azov Corps. On the battlefield dominated by drones, constant surveillance, and high-risk rotations, they navigate daily life and combat in one of the war’s most dangerous sectors.

In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, The Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur breaks down renewed U.S. discussions about supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles — and Russia's reaction.

The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York speaks with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof about Europe’s security and dependence on U.S. support within NATO to deter Russian aggression.

In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, The Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur reports on the wave of unidentified drone sightings across Europe — from Denmark to France — that have sparked airport closures, military investigations, and renewed calls to shoot them down.

The city of Kupiansk has become a focal point of Russia’s renewed offensive in Kharkiv Oblast. After crossing the Oskil River, Russian forces have begun infiltrating Ukrainian lines in small assault groups, while the battlefield becomes increasingly dominated by swarming drones.

In this exclusive interview, a Ukrainian teenager shares the harsh realities of growing up under Russian occupation.

This week on Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur covers the ongoing response to the Sept. 9 violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones — the first instance of NATO engaging Russia militarily on its own soil since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell sits down with Kyrylo Veres, commander of the K-2 regiment, a Ukrainian unit of the Unmanned Systems Forces that has evolved from an infantry battalion into a drone-led, multi-role force on the front line.

The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York sits down with former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson to speak about Europe’s role in Ukraine’s defense, Russia’s attacks on NATO territory, and the risks of escalation.