Semen Kryvonos, the newly-appointed head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), has previously held jobs associated with anti-corruption reforms. Kryvonos was appointed as head of the NABU by the Cabinet of Ministers on March 6 after being selected from a shortlist of three people chosen by a commission
Ukraine’s new media law, signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky in December, has triggered a major controversy. The law expands the powers of the media regulator, the National Council for Television and Radio. Specifically, it gives it the authority to block some media outlets without a court ruling. Its supporters
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 24 launched the biggest government reshuffle since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. A deputy head of the President's Office, a deputy prosecutor general, several deputy ministers, and several governors were ousted following a number of scandals, including corruption ones. Some saw
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in our op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. When Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began almost a year ago, the issue of Ukraine’s very existence and survival came to
The Russian economy has faced unprecedented sanctions since the Kremlin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. The latest events – the West's embargo on seaborn oil and price cap on Russian oil sales worldwide – are seen as a blow to the Russian economy, whose backbone is the energy
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Dec. 20 signed into law a bill on the Constitutional Court that may derail Ukraine’s European integration. The bill regulates the selection of Constitutional Court judges. It has been criticized by Ukraine’s civil society and the West because it fails to give foreign experts
The Verkhovna Rada on Dec. 13 approved a bill on the Constitutional Court that may deal a blow to Ukraine's European integration prospects and allow the president to fully control the court, legal experts say. "By voting for this bill, you are not only disrupting European integration but also enabling
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Dec. 13 signed into law a bill to liquidate the Kyiv District Administrative Court, headed by Ukraine's most scandalous judge Pavlo Vovk. Earlier on the same day, the bill was approved by parliament. The move follows a decision by the U.S. Department of State on
The U.S. Department of State on Dec. 9 sanctioned Pavlo Vovk, head of Ukraine's Kyiv District Administrative Court, to commemorate International Anti-Corruption Day, imposing visa restrictions on the controversial judge and potentially blocking his assets. "The Department of State is designating Vovk for soliciting bribes in return for interfering
By invading Ukraine, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin sought to strengthen Russia's geopolitical standing and spread the country's influence across the globe. In reality, it backfired. Due to Russia's unprecedented aggression and its heavy defeats on the battlefield, the Kremlin became much weaker, losing allies in the process. Russia's influence among
On Nov. 2, Russia announced it would continue its participation in the deal that allows grain shipments from Ukraine via the Black Sea, ending several days of turmoil when the vital deal was hanging by a thread. The grain exports crisis started with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which
As Russia is escalating its war against Ukraine and using massive missile and drone strikes to destroy infrastructure, Kremlin propaganda is becoming even more bloodthirsty. The earlier disappointment of propagandists with repeated Russian defeats on the battlefield has been replaced with a feeling of schadenfreude. They are gloating over the
Massive Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and energy infrastructure all over Ukraine are becoming a regular occurrence. One apparent aim of Russian attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure is to bully Ukraine's population into submission. On Oct. 19, President Volodymyr Zelensky didn't rule out a potential failure of
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has raised the stakes in his war against Ukraine, and he may be paying the price. By announcing the mobilization of conscripts on Sept. 21 and the illegal annexation of more Ukrainian territory on Sept. 30, he increased domestic instability in Russia. People who were content
The commercial chamber of Ukraine's Supreme Court on Oct. 3 failed to gather enough votes to fire the chamber's Chairman Bohdan Lvov. Days prior, Ukraine's Security Service confirmed that Lvov is a Russian citizen, which he continues to deny. Under Ukrainian law, foreign citizens are banned from holding government jobs.
Since launching the full-scale war against Ukraine, hardliners became the backbone of Vladimir Putin's regime. Russian officials, propagandists, and "military experts" have all been actively promoting Russia's land grab. Yet, the Kremlin's defeat in Kharkiv Oblast turned Russia's pro-war camp against its leader. Now, it looks like the Russian president
