The Kyiv Independent Live in London

The Kyiv Independent was born out of a fight for freedom of speech. It was co-founded by a group of journalists who were fired from the Kyiv Post, then a prominent newspaper, as the owner attempted to take the newsroom under control and end its critical coverage of Ukrainian authorities.

Just three months after the Kyiv Independent was launched, Russia invaded Ukraine. Our team stayed in Ukraine and kept on reporting on what was now a war against their country.

The team’s resilience and uncompromising reporting quickly made the Kyiv Independent a key source of news from Ukraine for millions of people around the world.

We had to grow fast. Today, the Kyiv Independent is a dynamic organization producing stories, video reports, newsletters, documentaries, and more.

We won over 25 awards for our reporting and work, formed a separate unit within the team to investigate Russian war crimes that has published twelve documentaries so far and uncovered undeniable evidence of war crimes committed by Russia.

Unlike many news organizations, the Kyiv Independent has no single owner or external source of financing. Instead, the majority of our funding comes directly from our readers — most of whom give just $5 a month. 70% of our revenue comes from membership and donations. 

Thanks to the support of our readers, the Kyiv Independent doesn’t need to depend on a wealthy owner — and doesn’t have a paywall. Our journalism is free and accessible to everyone, regardless of ability to pay, because we believe that everyone should have access to accurate and reliable information.