Sonya Bandouil

Team

Sonya Bandouil

North American news editor

Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the fields of cybersecurity and translating, and she also edited for various journals in NYC. Sonya has a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Houston, in Texas.

s.bandouil@kyivindependent.com

Articles

Sports

Ukrainian soldier and grandmaster wins gold at European Team Chess Championship

by Sonya BandouilOctober 19, 2025

Ukrainian soldier and chess grandmaster Ihor Kovalenko won the individual gold medal at the European Team Chess Championships, The Guardian reported on October 18, citing tournament organizers.

War

Putin seeks full control of Donetsk Oblast as key to any deal with Ukraine, WP reports

by Sonya BandouilOctober 19, 2025

Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that Ukraine hand over full control of Donetsk Oblast to Russia as a condition for ending the war during a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump this week, The Washington Post reported on Oct. 18, citing two senior U.S. officials.

News Feed

Lukashenko warns Ukraine could 'cease to exist', blames Zelensky for stalled negotiations

by Sonya BandouilOctober 13, 2025

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview on Oct. 12 that he thinks Ukraine could "cease to exist as a state" unless President Volodymyr Zelensky urgently begins peace talks.

News Feed

Trump says he will urge Putin to end the war or face the US sending Tomahawks to Ukraine

by Sonya BandouilOctober 13, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Oct. 12 that he is prepared to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine but said he plans to first discuss the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

News Feed

Trump calls on Congress to investigate 2019 'hoax' impeachment over Ukraine

by Sonya BandouilOctober 13, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Oct. 12 calling for the reinstatement of the investigation into the 2019 impeachment proceedings against him.

News Feed

Trump meets with Stubb, vows to defend Finland in case of Russian attack

by Sonya BandouilOctober 10, 2025

During a White House meeting on Oct. 9, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would “vigorously” defend Finland if Russia attacked it.

News Feed

'Missiles, one after another' — Kyiv blackouts as Russia strikes Ukraine's energy infrastructure once again

by Lucy Pakhnyuk, Volodymyr Ivanyshyn, Sonya Bandouil, Martin Fornusek, Kateryna HodunovaOctober 10, 2025

Russia launched a large-scale drone and missile attack on Ukraine overnight on Oct. 10, killing a child and injuring at least 24 people in the country while leaving a part of Kyiv without electricity and water.

News Feed

Belarus fuel exports to Russia surge as Moscow faces domestic shortages

by Sonya BandouilOctober 8, 2025

Belarus’ rail exports of gasoline to Russia surged fourfold in September as Russia has dealt with fuel shortages, Reuters reported on Oct. 7.

News Feed

55 MEPs call for swift launch of Moldova's EU accession talks

by Sonya BandouilOctober 6, 2025

Members of the European Parliament from 19 EU countries have urged European Council President Antonio Costa to immediately advance Moldova’s EU accession talks, Vice President of the European Parliament Victor Negrescu announced on Oct. 5.

News Feed

Ukraine wins 15 medals at 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi

by Sonya BandouilOctober 6, 2025

Ukraine finished the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi with 15 medals, Suspilne Sport reported on Oct. 5.

News Feed

Slovak PM Fico calls for end to Ukraine war and 'Slavs killing each other,' rejects focus on defeating Russia

by Sonya BandouilOctober 6, 2025

Slovakia seeks a swift end to the war in Ukraine rather than Russia’s defeat, Prime Minister Robert Fico said during a televised debate on Slovak public broadcaster STVR on Oct. 5.

News Feed

Russian missile strike kills 1, injures 10 in Kharkiv Oblast

by Sonya BandouilOctober 2, 2025

A Russian missile strike hit the center of Balakliia in Kharkiv Oblast late on Oct. 1, killing one person and injuring 10 others, including a 4-year-old child, local authorities reported.

News Feed

Trump greenlights US intelligence sharing for Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, WSJ reports

by Sonya BandouilOctober 2, 2025

The U.S. will begin providing Ukraine with intelligence to support long-range missile strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure, marking the first time the Trump administration has approved such aid, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on Oct. 1.

News Feed

Ukraine and Syria officially re-establish diplomatic relations after leaders meet at UN

by Sonya BandouilSeptember 25, 2025

Ukraine and Syria formally restored diplomatic relations, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sept. 25 after meeting his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa at the UN General Assembly.

News Feed

Rubio meets with Lavrov at UN General Assembly, urges Russia to halt the bloodshed in Ukraine

by Sonya BandouilSeptember 25, 2025

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to halt the killing in Ukraine, the Department of State reported on Sept. 24.

Editors' Picks

An advertisement featuring Igor Shevchenko in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Oct. 8, 2025.

Team

Sonya Bandouil

Articles

Ukrainian soldier and grandmaster wins gold at European Team Chess Championship

Putin seeks full control of Donetsk Oblast as key to any deal with Ukraine, WP reports

Lukashenko warns Ukraine could 'cease to exist', blames Zelensky for stalled negotiations

Trump says he will urge Putin to end the war or face the US sending Tomahawks to Ukraine

Trump calls on Congress to investigate 2019 'hoax' impeachment over Ukraine

Trump meets with Stubb, vows to defend Finland in case of Russian attack

'Missiles, one after another' — Kyiv blackouts as Russia strikes Ukraine's energy infrastructure once again

Belarus fuel exports to Russia surge as Moscow faces domestic shortages

55 MEPs call for swift launch of Moldova's EU accession talks

Ukraine wins 15 medals at 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi

Slovak PM Fico calls for end to Ukraine war and 'Slavs killing each other,' rejects focus on defeating Russia

Russian missile strike kills 1, injures 10 in Kharkiv Oblast

Trump greenlights US intelligence sharing for Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, WSJ reports

Ukraine and Syria officially re-establish diplomatic relations after leaders meet at UN

Rubio meets with Lavrov at UN General Assembly, urges Russia to halt the bloodshed in Ukraine

Editors' Picks

Ukraine can't hold elections during war — but political advertising is already booming

Trump's two wars: Why diplomacy worked in Gaza but not in Ukraine

Zelensky strips tainted Odesa Mayor Trukhanov of Ukrainian citizenship, effectively pushes him out of office

Nearly a year on, Ukraine army's shift to corps command struggles to deliver