crimea: the war before the war

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From Tehran to Kyiv: Ukraine’s Iranian diaspora live through war while watching another

From Tehran to Kyiv: Ukraine’s Iranian diaspora live through war while watching another

With air raid sirens and missile strikes part of daily life in Kyiv, many Iranians living in Ukraine found themselves watching another crisis unfold in their homeland — one that feels both distant and painfully familiar. Following the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran and the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with several senior figures of the regime, members of the small Iranian community in Kyiv say they are following events closely, balancing hope for political change with fear
Ukraine believes Tucker Carlson 'works for Putin' amid growing US scrutiny
Russia

Ukraine believes Tucker Carlson 'works for Putin' amid growing US scrutiny

Tucker Carlson, a conservative commentator now under scrutiny in the U.S., has long drawn criticism in Ukraine for amplifying narratives aligned with the Kremlin — a record that is gaining fresh attention as he claims he could face criminal charges at home. "The CIA is preparing some kind of criminal referral against me, a crime report to the Department of Justice on the basis of a supposed crime I committed," Carlson said, adding that the allegations could stem from his contacts with individua
Ukraine war latest: Ukraine hits Russia's key Baltic Sea oil port, Bashkortostan oil refinery, General Staff confirms
War

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine hits Russia's key Baltic Sea oil port, Bashkortostan oil refinery, General Staff confirms

Key developments on March 23: * Ukraine hits Russia's key Baltic Sea oil port, Bashkortostan oil refinery, General Staff confirms * Ukrainian defense tech firm lands first US-Ukraine 'minerals fund' deal * Ukraine has 'irrefutable evidence' of Russia providing intelligence to Iran, Zelensky says * Ukraine names Hungarian officer allegedly behind spy network busted in 2025 Ukrainian forces targeted the Transneft oil terminal at the port of Primorsk in Leningrad Oblast and the Bashneft-Ufane
Exclusive: The minerals deal that sparked backlash is now backing Ukraine’s drone edge

Exclusive: The minerals deal that sparked backlash is now backing Ukraine’s drone edge

Just over a year after a dramatic Oval Office clash derailed the now-infamous "minerals deal," the fund it spawned is making its first move, backing Ukraine's defense tech sector as global conflicts intensify. The first of three investments planned this year by the fund — officially known as the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund — will go to Sine Engineering, a Ukrainian dual-use military technology company, two people familiar with the deal told the Kyiv Independent. The deal is exp
Suspected leaks to Moscow rattle EU — but Hungary stays at the table
Hungary

Suspected leaks to Moscow rattle EU — but Hungary stays at the table

EU diplomats are concerned about Hungary's contacts with the Kremlin following reports that Budapest may have shared information from EU meetings with Moscow. At the same time, they note that Hungary cannot be excluded from key discussions. The alarm follows reporting that Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto briefed his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on discussions during EU meetings — a development that has reinforced long-standing suspicions within the bloc. Some officials have
Ukraine hits another roadblock in its fight to reform the courts

Ukraine hits another roadblock in its fight to reform the courts

Ukraine has tried, repeatedly, to clean up its courts — each attempt, however, has run into the same roadblocks. A handful of controversial judges have been dismissed, and some changes have been enacted. But beneath the surface, a powerful clique is digging in its heels, making sure attempts at changing the system are stalled. The latest reform cycle began in 2022, when the judiciary's two highest bodies — the High Council of Justice and the High Qualification Commission — were re-launched. O
Western-made parts keep ending up in Russian and Iranian weapons
Opinion

Western-made parts keep ending up in Russian and Iranian weapons

On the morning of March 16, a Russian Lancet drone was shot down by Ukrainian air defenses over central Kyiv. Its debris fell near the Monument of Independence. An examination of the wreckage revealed around 50 foreign-made components. Among the countries of origin were Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, the United States, Germany, Japan, and South Korea, with several components manufactured after 2022. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has examined a wide range of weapons
Ukraine’s deep strikes make Russians feel the war

Ukraine’s deep strikes make Russians feel the war

Ukraine has increasingly pursued a strategy of "bringing the war back to Russia" — aiming to erode the perception that the full-scale invasion is distant and cost-free for Russian society. This approach was explicitly articulated by President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2025, as Ukraine significantly expanded its deep-strike campaign inside Russia. "The war was brought from Russia, and it is to Russia that the war must be pushed back. They must be the ones forced into peace. They are the ones who mu
Ukraine war latest: Ukraine destroys Russian Buk air defenses in flurry of strikes, military says
War

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine destroys Russian Buk air defenses in flurry of strikes, military says

Key developments on March 21-22: * Ukraine destroys Russian Buk air defenses in flurry of strikes, military says, shows footage * Ukraine launches nearly 300 drones against Russia overnight, hits oil depot, command post of elite Rubikon drone unit * Ukrainian delegation meets Witkoff, Kushner in Miami, plan to continue talks on March 22 * Russian attacks kill 6, injure 29 in Ukraine over past day, first responders targeted in double-tap strike Ukrainian drones struck two Buk air defense sy