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'Blown out of proportion' — Domestic politics at the core of South Korea's rift with Ukraine

'Blown out of proportion' — Domestic politics at the core of South Korea's rift with Ukraine

Seoul's diplomatic spat with Kyiv continues to deepen, but experts say it is less about Ukraine than about South Korea's own politics. The East Asian country, traditionally counted among Ukraine's partners in the region, announced on Oct. 8 that it is recalling its ambassador from Kyiv amid a dispute over North Korean prisoners of war (POWs). The rift started on Sept. 23 with President Volodymyr Zelensky telling the U.N. General Assembly that Kyiv had transferred two North Korean POWs, capture
Russia detains Japanese journalist on espionage charges

Russia detains Japanese journalist on espionage charges

Russia's Security Service (FSB) said that a Japanese citizen working for the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper was arrested in the country's far east near islands disputed by Russia and Japan before being taken to Moscow.
Ukraine war latest: Russian missiles slam central Kyiv before air raid alert sounds

Ukraine war latest: Russian missiles slam central Kyiv before air raid alert sounds

Key developments on Oct. 13: * Kyiv under 'particularly vile' missile attack before air raid alert issued * French Navy intercepts Russian shadow fleet tanker in Indian Ocean * Trump says Ukraine, Russia agree to energy strike ceasefire 'because I said they agreed' * 'Absolutely unacceptable' — 11 crew members lost at sea after commercial ships hit by drones near Bulgaria's Black Sea coast * Russian forces use group of civilians as 'human shields' near Kupiansk, fire at them afterwards, Uk
No, Ukraine's strikes on Yandex data centers didn't cripple Russian influence ops
Russia

No, Ukraine's strikes on Yandex data centers didn't cripple Russian influence ops

Ukrainian drone strikes against Russian data centers sparked viral claims about a sudden drop in Russian influence operations on social media — even as experts see no evidence to support this. Kyiv struck data centers run by Yandex — Russia's "answer to Google" — in three different regions between Oct. 9 and 11, a response to Russian strikes against similar facilities in Ukraine. Yandex acknowledged the attacks, noting that its data center in Vladimir Oblast had to be shut down due to damage a
How the Russian army is learning from Ukraine and NATO
Opinion

How the Russian army is learning from Ukraine and NATO

The Russian army entered its full-scale war against Ukraine with a reputation as one of the strongest in the world, but the first weeks of the invasion showed that this assessment was wrong. The reasons were sought in logistics, equipment, training, and motivation, but most of the failures stemmed from an inability to make sound decisions on the battlefield. The Russian army found itself in a war in which commanders had to operate in situations where orders from above were either absent or no l
Fact check: Russia turns to AI to push fakes about 'women's draft' in Ukraine

Fact check: Russia turns to AI to push fakes about women's draft in Ukraine

Russian disinformation yet again targets the sensitive topic of mobilization in Ukraine — this time, pushing falsehoods about an alleged forced draft of women. Pro-Kremlin social media accounts and Russian media have spread AI-generated images alleging that Ukrainian women are being lured to join the Armed Forces by targeted recruitment posters, while others claim they are being outright called up for military service. But though tens of thousands of Ukrainian women enlisted in the army as vol
Letters to the editor: Readers question Trump's Russian diesel deal and US sanctions policy

Letters to the editor: Readers question Trump's Russian diesel deal and US sanctions policy

This week's letters come from readers questioning the Trump administration's decision to purchase Russian diesel fuel amid rising prices in the United States. An American reader argues the deal benefits Russian President Vladimir Putin at Ukraine's expense, a scholar questions whether a U.S. sanctions bill will meaningfully pressure Moscow, and a British reader raises concerns about Washington's turn to Russian oil. Got an opinion on anything you've read in the Kyiv Independent? Send it to lett
As Russian missiles slip through Kyiv's air defenses without warning, officials say US intelligence sharing remains intact. For now
Politics

As Russian missiles slip through Kyiv's air defenses without warning, officials say US intelligence sharing remains intact

Despite the recent failure of Kyiv's early warning system and threats to halt U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine, Washington made no such decision, Ukrainian and American sources told the Kyiv Independent. Five Russian S-400 missiles struck the Ukrainian capital shortly after 10 p.m. local time on Oct. 12, causing "massive explosions," Kyiv Independent journalists reported. Air raid sirens and mobile alerts sounded only after the attack. The attack came as Washington had threatened to susp