On the last road to front-line Kostiantynivka as Russian troops enter the city
We followed Ukraine’s 24th Mechanized Brigade on the "road of life" between the front-line cities of Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka.
Team
Olena Zashko
Video CreatorOlena Zashko is a videographer at the Kyiv Independent. She has previously worked as a videographer at the Suspilne Kultura documentary unit. The Kyiv Independent received a grant from the Charles Douglas-Home Memorial Trust to support Olena's front-line videography reporting for the year 2025-2026. She also has experience working as a journalist at Hromadske news outlet and has worked as a freelance journalist with different Ukrainian media. Olena has a master’s in journalism from the Ukrainian Catholic University.
Articles
These Ukrainian drone pilots took out NATO forces during drills
At NATO's Aurora 2026 military exercises in Sweden, a group of Ukrainian drone pilots was tasked with playing the role of attackers. The Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell spoke with drone pilots from Ukraine's 20th National Guard "Lubart" Brigade, part of the 1st Azov Corps, shortly after they returned from Sweden.
Ukraine’s gun control dilemma | Ukraine This Week
In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines Ukraine’s growing debate over gun control and how the war is reshaping the country’s approach to weapons and safety.
Ukraine's nuclear lifeline in the shadow of Chornobyl
The Kyiv Independent’s Dominic Culverwell visits the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant and the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant to see how Ukraine’s nuclear system operates during wartime — and what risks come with that.
Inside a Ukrainian prison for women who sided with Russia
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian courts have convicted thousands of people of collaboration and treason. The Kyiv Independent’s Kateryna Hodunova and Olena Zashko report from a penal colony in southeastern Ukraine that holds women who sided with Russia.
Inside the Battle of the Dnipro River
Along the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine, the front line has remained largely static, but fighting continues every day. The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko embedded with Ukraine’s forces in Kherson Oblast, following FPV drone and night bomber teams tasked with defending river islands.
Between life and death under Russian drones in Kherson
Liberated in 2022, Kherson is still under daily attack from Russian forces across the Dnipro River. The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko report from a city living under anti-drone nets and constant surveillance, showing how everyday life, from hospitals and schools to aid deliveries and cultural events, continues under threat, and why residents refuse to leave.
Ukraine can make Russia seek peace, commander says
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.
Ai Weiwei on his exploration trip to wartime Ukraine
The Kyiv Independent’s Kate Tsurkan sits down with internationally renowned artist and activist Ai Weiwei during his first exhibition in Ukraine dedicated to Russia's full-scale war.
Ukraine won't give up its land, Azov commander says
Oleksii "Leo," a Ukrainian battalion commander with the legendary Azov Brigade, discusses Russia's rapid advances in the east, Ukraine's manpower shortage, and potential scenarios for the future of the war.
The ground drone revolution in Ukraine
The Kyiv Independent spent a day with the 20th Separate UAV Regiment, also known as K-2, which specializes in ground robots, in northern Donetsk Oblast. We also spoke with the regiment's commander, Kyrylo Veres, about how these machines could shape the next phase of warfare in Ukraine, helping to reduce the risk to soldiers amid a growing manpower shortage.
Not their war: Who are Ukraine's foreign fighters?
At the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, foreigners flocked to Ukraine to join its defense against Russian forces. More than three years later, the foreign fighters who remain are a different breed — driven by a deep commitment to Ukraine.
Pokrovsk is the city of my childhood. Now I watch it die
A few weeks ago, my colleague Francis Farrell and I were in Pokrovsk.
As a war reporter, I’m used to seeing war-torn towns. Last year, we saw glide bombs raining down on Vovchansk, filmed interviews with soldiers in the ruins of Lyman, and joined a volunteer evacuation mission taking civilians out of Selydove, which was on the verge of occupation.
But this time was different: Pokrovsk isn't just another city for me.
My native city is just a half-hour drive away from Pokrovsk, and it’s a much
Inside the Battle of Kostiantynivka under drone-infested sky
The Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko spent a day with two drone teams of the 20th Brigade of Ukraine's National Guard, known as Liubart, that are holding a sector south of Kostiantynivka.
24 hours inside Pokrovsk as Russia closes in on key Ukrainian city
In what could be one of the last visits by journalists to Pokrovsk, the Kyiv Independent spent 24 hours in the front-line city, embedded with a drone team of Ukraine’s 68th Jaeger Brigade.
