While fighting a war of survival against Russia, Ukraine must not turn into its authoritarian neighbor. As Ukraine’s main independent English-language media outlet, we have a duty to acknowledge and expose this threat. A string of recent events indicate that the Ukrainian leadership is increasingly circumventing democratic institutions and sabotaging the rule of law. Chief among these events is a criminal investigation against Ukraine’s best-known anti-corruption activist Vitaliy Shabunin. S

Editor's Note: This article was updated to include The New York Times' response to the criticism, sent to The Kyiv Independent via email. The New York Times' recent feature detailing Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast presents a vivid, harrowing account of civilian suffering. It also twists the narrative, stays mute on the factors that led to Ukraine's incursion into Russia two and a half years after the start of Russia's all-out war, doesn't mention the civilian toll of the ongoin

The first edition sent on June 12 raised $16,500 in just four days for the Leleka Foundation, a U.S.-Ukrainian charity that procures medical supplies for those on the front lines.

The Kyiv Independent has officially reached 20,000 paying members, becoming the first Ukrainian media outlet in history to cross this milestone.

All profits from the sales of the 603,628 km² T-shirt for the next month will be donated to the Ukrainian charitable foundation East SOS.

Ukrainian intelligence has identified the captain of the oil embargo-breaking tanker FACCA, a part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” of oil tankers.

Editor's note: We asked members of the Kyiv Independent community to share the questions they have about the war. Here's what they asked and how we answered. Join our community to ask a question in the next round. Question: Is Ukraine formulating a plan to receive and house refugees from occupied territories? I would expect in that ceding territory many Ukrainians would want to leave Russian control. Answer: Handling internally displaced people (IDPs) has been a pressing issue for Ukraine eve

With the incredible support of our readers and community, we raised $24,500 for Veteran Hub through the sale of over 1,000 of our “I Stand With Ukraine” T-shirts.

The Kyiv Independent, in partnership with UNESCO and with the support of Japan, is launching a hands-on consultancy program for three regional independent media organizations in Ukraine that were severely affected by the U.S. aid freeze. This U.S. aid freeze affected organizations in Ukraine, including those providing humanitarian services, as well as independent media outlets covering Russia's war against Ukraine, leaving them without crucial funding. Smaller, local media outlets — often the

In any negotiation, one of the most powerful weapons is knowledge. In that regard, Steve Witkoff is willfully disarmed. And it’s playing just right for Russia. The interview that Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, gave to Tucker Carlson a few days ago revealed a truth that was perceived especially bitterly here in Ukraine: In the negotiation where everything is at stake, Ukraine’s most powerful ally is represented by a man who either knows next to nothing about Ukraine or woefully misunderstands

"Ukraine is not only ready to take the necessary steps for peace, but we are also proposing what those steps are," President Volodymyr Zelensky said during his speech at the Special European Council on March 6.

It’s time to say it plainly. America’s leadership has switched sides in the war. The American people have not, and they should speak up. In the past several weeks, the U.S. leadership has demonstrated explicit hostility towards Ukraine and aligned its rhetoric and policy with Russia. The animosity culminated today when U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at a meeting in the Oval Office. After a hostile meeting, Zelensky left t

The Kyiv Independent invited its American readers to share their thoughts on U.S. President Donald Trump’s policy on Ukraine and Russia on Feb. 24, the third-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. In less than a day, we received over 400 emails, expressing views that ranged from cautious skepticism about the U.S. approach to Ukraine to outright condemnation of Trump’s statements on the issue. After carefully reviewing the responses, we are publishing a selection that refl

The Kyiv Independent’s documentary about Ukrainian military medics who save lives on the front lines of Russia’s full-scale war will be screened in six more European cities in March 2025. “Can You Hear Me? The Invisible Battles of Ukrainian Military Medics” will be shown in Brussels, London, Strasbourg, Paris, Amsterdam and The Hague. All screenings will be followed by discussions with the film’s authors, journalists Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko. The tour is organized in partnership with t

The Kyiv Independent has obtained from a source in the Ukrainian government, the full text of the mineral deal agreement between the U.S. and Ukraine.