Team

Olena Makarenko
Video ReporterOlena Makarenko is a Kyiv-based journalist and documentary filmmaker. Since November 2015, Olena has been covering the events in Ukraine for foreign audiences. She has authored two short documentaries: “The Court” (2018) about establishing the Anti-Corruption Court in Ukraine and “Life-Long City” about an activist in Kryvyi Rih.
Articles

Children's theater goes underground in Kharkiv
In the heart of Kharkiv, Kharkiv Theater for Children and Youth performs in bomb shelters under constant threats of Russian attacks. The Kyiv Independent visited one of the theater's performances in late June to meet the dedicated actors and their no less dedicated audience.

'Good Russians.' Who are they?
Russians, who are Vladimir Putin's enemies and condemn the war, are not necessarily friends of Ukraine. Who Ukrainians describe as "good Russians," and what does the term mean?

How old is Ukraine?
On Aug. 24, 2023, Ukraine marked its 32nd Independence Day. But is Ukraine really just 32 years old? The Kyiv Independent addressed this question to historians.
Everything you didn’t know about Ukraine’s flagAt a small exhibit at the National History Museum in Kyiv on Ukraine’s flag, one notices something particular about the flags from the Soviet times and early days of independence: they’re homemade — sewn by hand with different fabrics of slightly different blues and yellows, the result of a

Vox Populi: How do Ukrainians see their country’s future in 10 years?
Ukraine celebrates its 32nd Independence Day on Aug. 24 amid the ongoing Russian invasion. The Kyiv Independent has asked people on the streets of Kyiv what they think Ukraine’s future will look like in 10 years. Warning: Some of the answers can melt your heart.

Why Russia's war in Ukraine is not "Putin's war" (VIDEO)
The co-founder and senior editor of the Kyiv Independent Oleksiy Sorokin debunks one of the most popular misconceptions about Russia's war against Ukraine.The Kyiv Independent: Opinion is a series of videos where our journalists share their thoughts on various political, social, and other issues.

Kakhovka Dam destruction: Tracking the catastrophe’s aftermath down the Dnipro River
The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam had catastrophic consequences for several southern Ukrainian regions.The Kyiv Independent went to the affected areas to see the scale of the catastrophe.

The Kyiv Independent: Opinion. What the West got wrong about Ukraine (VIDEO)
Our video reporter Iryna Matviyishyn speaks about some of the common misconceptions about Ukraine that are spread by Russian propaganda.
We launched "Ukraine's True History," a series to explain Ukraine’s past and present without distortions. The first episode debunks the 10 most common misconceptions about Ukrainian history. Watch it on our YouTube and read the article here.

The Kyiv Independent: Opinion. Why it is important to conduct journalistic investigations during war (VIDEO)
Kyiv Independent's Head of Investigations, Anna Myroniuk led an investigation highlighting the alleged misconduct in the International Legion, which won a European Press Prize this year.
Read the second part of this investigation here.
To support Anna's in-depth journalism that exposes war crimes, corruption and abuse of power in Ukraine and beyond, subscribe to our investigative newsletter.

Who does Crimea really belong to?
This chapter of Ukraine's True History will explore the historical context that led to Crimea as it is today and answer why Russia doesn't have a "historic right" to annex Ukrainian Crimea.

Russia's many attempts to erase Ukrainian language, culture
Russia has not only killed tens of thousands of Ukrainians and ruined much of the country's infrastructure since the start of the full-scale invasion. It aimed at destroying the core of Ukrainian identity — language, and culture — in the territories it occupied.

Life in Borodianka 1 year after Russia’s devastating airstrikes
Borodianka, located about 40 kilometers from Kyiv, suffered greatly from Russian airstrikes. One year later, many of its residents continue to live there either because they have nowhere else to go or because they feel emotionally attached to their hometown.

How Kherson residents resisted Russian occupation
These Khersonians residents were openly protesting against the occupation. But as Russia tightened its grip, some of them continued their protest in more subtle ways – despite the risks of being kidnapped or killed.

The Kyiv Independent: Opinion. Alexander Query on why Europe romanticizes Russia (VIDEO)
The Kyiv Independent: Opinion is a series of videos where our journalists share their thoughts on various political, social, and other issues.
In this video, our reporter Alexander Query, a native of France, contemplates why many in his home country, and in Europe in general, romanticize Russia.

What will the war bring in 2023? Illia Ponomarenko interviews Michael Kofman and Rob Lee
The Kyiv Independent's Illia Ponomarenko sits down with military analysts Michael Kofman, director of the Russia Studies Program at CNA, and Rob Lee, senior fellow in the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Eurasia Program.

Video: One year of Russia’s all-out war through the eyes of one Ukrainian newsroom
The Kyiv Independent was just a three-month-old startup when Russia launched an all-out war against Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
A year later, its team members look back at making the choice on whether to stay or flee, reporting from the front line.
Editors' Picks

‘Neither side wasted time' — Ukraine's economy minister on minerals deal negotiations with Trump’s ‘business-oriented’ administration

Russia increasingly targets Ukraine's cities with cluster munitions, raising civilian toll

As US aid to Ukraine dries up, new platform connects American investors with Ukrainian startups
