Articles

Uncategorized

US official: Negotiations with Putin won't work

by Sergiy Slipchenko, The Kyiv Independent news desk August 9, 2022

Kurt Volker, former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine negotiations, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that he doesn't believe that there will be any results from negotiation attempts with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Volker, who also served as the U.S. Ambassador to NATO, said that Putin has already made up his mind to destroy Ukraine as a sovereign state and destroy its people and he won't stop as long as he has this "imperialist mindset." Volker added that Putin is in "an increasingly weak position" due to Moscow's failure to capture Ukraine despite the high number of casualties.

Ukraine

Ukrainian Coast Guard: Russia confirms it will not block Azov Sea traffic for exercises

by Sergiy Slipchenko February 11, 2022

A Ukrainian Coast Guard official said that Russian authorities officially denied earlier information that the Azov Sea would be closed to maritime traffic on Feb. 13-19 due to Russian naval exercises. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had earlier said that Russia's planned exercises would fully block the Azov Sea and severely

Hot topic

Kyiv's Cold War-era bomb shelters in dire state (PHOTOS)

by Sergiy Slipchenko, Kostyantyn Chernichkin February 10, 2022

When it comes to bomb shelters, Ukrainians are facing an unpleasant surprise.

War

Kuleba: Russian attack is not 'imminent'

by Sergiy Slipchenko February 2, 2022

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba held a briefing for journalists from foreign media outlets on Feb. 2, to address recent developments in Russia's ongoing military build-up around Ukraine.

Ukraine

Russia considers openly supplying weapons to its proxies occupying eastern Ukraine

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 26, 2022

Russian authorities have started to openly discuss the possibility of supplying the Russian-led militants in Ukrainian Donbas with weapons. Andrei Turchak, the general council secretary of United Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin's party, said on Jan. 26 that Moscow should supply militants with weapons "to deter Kyiv's, clearly planned, military

Ukraine

Transparency International: Ukraine's fight against corruption stagnated in 2021

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 25, 2022

Ukraine has slipped in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released annually by the watchdog Transparency International. In 2021, Ukraine earned 32 points out of 100, one point less than in the previous year. It placed 122nd out of 180 countries analyzed. "This decline in error indicates a period of stagnation.

Ukraine

UK begins to withdraw non-essential embassy staff, EU 'won't do the same,' says Borrell

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 24, 2022

The U.K. began to recall non-essential staff from its embassy in Kyiv on Jan. 24, amid growing fears of a full-scale Russian invasion. The U.K. Foreign Office had issued a statement saying that “some embassy staff and dependents are being withdrawn from Kyiv in response to growing threat.

Hot topic

Who is Murayev, the man UK exposes as potential leader of Kremlin's coup

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 23, 2022

The British government has accused the Kremlin of seeking to install a pro-Russian leadership in Ukraine, in a statement on Jan. 22. "We have information that indicates the Russian government is looking to install a pro-Russian leader in Kyiv as it considers whether to invade and occupy Ukraine," the statement

Hot topic

Poland pledges support to Ukraine in face of Russian threat

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 21, 2022

President Volodymyr Zelensky concluded a two-day visit to Poland, where he met with Polish President Andrzej Duda on Jan. 20. After being brought up to date on Russia's looming threat of invasion, Duda pledged to stand with Ukraine. "In the face of the (Russian) threat, Ukraine can count on Poland's

War

Peskov makes veiled threat: Sanctions will lead to invasion of Ukraine

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 20, 2022

Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov made a statement on Jan. 20 which has been perceived as a veiled threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Peskov expressed his concerns that implementation by the U.S. of new financial sanctions on Russia will encourage Ukrainian leadership to "start a new

Ukraine

Health ministry announces new Covid-19 outbreak in western Ukraine

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 20, 2022

The Ministry of Health announced the beginning of a new Covid-19 outbreak, as 18,479 new cases were recorded nationwide on Jan. 19. The ministry identified western Ukraine, specifically Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, as having the highest number of cases. On Jan. 20, Health Minister Viktor Lyashko asked local authorities to place

Hot topic

Blinken visits Kyiv, warns Russia might attack 'at very short notice,' asks about reforms

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 19, 2022

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Kyiv on Jan. 19 and met with Ukraine's top officials, amid the ongoing Russian threat. Blinken met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and discussed military aid, Ukraine's slowly-moving reforms, and the possible sanctions against Russia should it further

Ukraine

US to provide Ukraine with additional $200 million military aid package

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 19, 2022

The assistance was approved in late December but the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden only confirmed it on Jan. 19, without sharing any details. Ukraine will get this package in addition to the $300 million in military aid that the U.S. also approved in December as part

Ukraine

Blinken to visit Kyiv, Berlin on Jan. 18-20

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 18, 2022

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Kyiv and Berlin on Jan. 18-20. Blinken will first visit Kyiv, where he will meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Jan. 19, to reaffirm the United States' support for Ukraine as Russia is threatening to further

Hot topic

US senators visit Kyiv in show of support

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 17, 2022

A group of U.S. senators is visiting Kyiv to show support for Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian military buildup. A bipartisan delegation consisting of seven U.S. senators — Jeanne Shaheen, Chris Murphy, Amy Klobuchar, Richard Blumenthal, Rob Portman, Kevin Cramer, and Roger Wicker — met with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba

Ukraine

US Republicans draft bill to designate Ukraine a 'NATO Plus' state, sanction Russia

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 11, 2022

A new bill that's about to be introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives advocates for the U.S. to increase military funding to Ukraine and implement strict measures against Russia immediately, according to Politico. The bill, titled "Guaranteeing Ukrainian Autonomy by Reinforcing its Defense Act" (GUARD), is signed

Ukraine

Ukraine to consider vaccination of children over 5 years old

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 11, 2022

Chief State Sanitary Doctor Ihor Kuzin revealed that the Ministry of Health is considering allowing children over the age of 5 to receive the Covid-19 vaccine starting April. In an interview with BBC Ukraine, Kuzin stated that this decision is being considered as other countries that implemented vaccination for children

Hot topic

Ukraine to reduce validity of Covid-19 certificates to 9 months

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 10, 2022

Ukraine's Deputy Health Minister Maria Karchevych has announced on Jan. 10 that Ukraine will shorten the validity period of Covid-19 vaccine certificates from a full year to 270 days. Karchevych said in a TV interview that the decision will likely be made "sometime this week" and will follow the same

Hot topic

Ukraine approves booster shots for adults

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 6, 2022

Health Minister Viktor Lyashko announced the approval of booster shots for all fully vaccinated Ukrainian adults. The Ministry of Health has also eased the rules for mixing Covid-19 vaccines for the first, second, and booster doses. Lyashko published the announcement on social media, citing the record-breaking numbers of infections in

Hot topic

Stoltenberg to meet Kuleba before Russia security talks

by Sergiy Slipchenko January 5, 2022

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels on Jan. 10, two days ahead of the scheduled crisis talks between Russia and NATO. After the face-to-face talks with Stoltenberg, Kuleba will take part in a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission. "This is part of

News Feed

Odesa among contenders to host World Expo 2030

by Sergiy Slipchenko December 30, 2021

The Ukrainian government has entered the city of Odesa as a contender to host the World Expo in 2030. Odesa will compete against four other cities for the spot: Moscow, Russia; Rome, Italy; Busan, the Republic of Korea; and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. "Holding a world exhibition can become a powerful

Ukraine

World Bank study reveals effects of global warming on Ukraine's agriculture, forests

by Sergiy Slipchenko December 29, 2021

According to a newly released study by the World Bank, Cherkasy, Kherson, Kirovohrad, Poltava and Vinnytsia oblasts will be subject to the greatest negative impacts from climate change in agricultural production by 2030. Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Luhansk, Lviv and Zhytomyr oblasts will experience the highest increase in poverty and inequality as

Ukraine

Russia will meet with US to discuss Ukraine on Jan. 11

by Sergiy Slipchenko December 27, 2021

Russia will meet with the U.S. to discuss "security guarantees" amid the ongoing tensions on the Ukrainian-Russian border on Jan. 11, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The meeting will take place one day before the planned NATO-Russia council summit. In a Dec. 27 interview with a Russian

Ukraine

Explained: New requirement for Ukrainian women to register for possible military, civil defense service

by Sergiy Slipchenko December 25, 2021

A recent order of the Defense Ministry requiring women of certain professions to register for possible military service caused a stir in Ukraine. The order, which came into effect on Dec. 17, lists 100 professions. All Ukrainian women who are from 18 to 60-years-old and employed in these professions must

Ukraine

Poll: Over half of Ukrainians will actively resist Russian invasion

by Sergiy Slipchenko December 17, 2021

More than half of Ukrainians will actively resist in the event of an all-out Russian invasion, according to a new survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology published on Dec. 17. The Kremlin has amassed nearly 100,000 troops surrounding Ukraine in November in what Ukrainian and Western intelligence

Hot topic

PM Shmyhal says coal shortage is resolved

by Sergiy Slipchenko December 17, 2021

Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Dec. 17 that Ukraine's coal shortage has been resolved. The statement came after a months-long energy crisis in Ukraine and contradicted some of the recent reports that emerged in the country. Shmyhal said that Ukraine now extracts and imports 2 million tons of

Ukraine

SBU uncovers largest operation selling fraudulent Covid-19 certification

by Sergiy Slipchenko December 14, 2021

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has uncovered the largest operation producing fake Covid-19 documentation and distributing it throughout the whole country, according to a Dec. 14 announcement. The operation generated around $185,000 a month, based on preliminary estimates. According to documents obtained by the SBU from the alleged

Ukraine

Health ministry: Unvaccinated patients are 9 times more likely to die from Covid-19

by Sergiy Slipchenko December 14, 2021

According to the Ministry of Health, unvaccinated patients are five times more likely to be hospitalized and nine times more likely to die of Covid-19 complications than fully vaccinated people. These statistics are based on data the ministry collected from August to October 2021, Deputy Health Minister Ihor Kuzin said

Hot topic

Deputy minister resigns after video of his altercation with police goes viral

by Sergiy Slipchenko December 14, 2021

Deputy Interior Minister Oleksandr Gogilashvili submitted his resignation after a video surfaced of him yelling insults at police officers trying to establish his identity. The Cabinet of Ministers accepted Gogilashvili's resignation on Dec. 13 after President Volodymyr Zelensky urged them to dismiss the official. Gogilashvili caused the scandal on Dec.

Ukraine

Defense minister: Germany blocked weapon sales to Ukraine

by Sergiy Slipchenko December 13, 2021

Ukraine's Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov claimed in a Dec. 12 interview with the Financial Times that Germany had vetoed Ukraine's purchase of anti-drone and anti-sniper equipment via NATO's Support and Procurement Agency. According to Reznikov, who was appointed to his position in November, the veto was made "in the

Politics

Zelensky leads presidential poll with 23.5%, Poroshenko polls second

by Sergiy Slipchenko December 10, 2021

President Volodymyr Zelensky leads presidential polls with a share of 23.5% of decided voters, maintaining a 10.1% lead over ex-president and leader of the European Solidarity party Petro Poroshenko, who got 13.4%. Zelensky's support 2.5 years into his presidency is 6% down from the result he

Hot topic

White House: US will not pressure Ukraine to grant autonomy to Donbas

by Sergiy Slipchenko December 10, 2021

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki denied reports that U.S. President Joe Biden will pressure Ukraine to grant special autonomous status to the Russian-occupied Donbas region in a press briefing on Dec. 9. When asked whether the U.S. will pressure Ukraine to cede land to Russia, Psaki said