As Ukraine celebrates its 35th Independence Day on Aug. 25, 2026, the staff of the Kyiv Independent share their favorite fact about Ukrainian history, culture, their hometown, or a famous Ukrainian — some of whom, you might be surprised to learn are from Ukraine. 1. The geographic center of Europe is in Ukraine A stone monument near the village of Dilove in Zakarpattia Oblast marks the spot officially recognized by Austro-Hungarian cartographers in 1887 as the geographical center of Europe. Th

President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has no further details, and the information that was made public was sufficient to dismiss Iryna Mudra as deputy head of the President’s Office.

U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is expected to formally announce the decision during his visit to Kyiv on Ukraine's Independence Day, his first overseas trip since taking office.

Russia launched two Oniks anti-ship missiles, six Kh-31P and Kh-59 guided air-launched missiles, as well as 143 drones and other aerial targets overnight on Aug. 24, according to Ukraine's Air Force.

As Ukraine celebrates 35 years of independence, we've brought together some options to make your support for Ukraine visible. Shop our store, and know that you can support the Kyiv Independent while showing the world where you stand. Make a simple statement We created this collection after President Volodymyr Zelensky’s explosive visit to the Oval Office on Feb. 28, 2025, but it's just as relevant today. Wear this to show your solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Ask a question The quest

"On Ukraine's Independence Day, Europe shows our support is unfaltering and concrete," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in the press release.

"For Ukraine, independence is not an abstract idea. We defended it against all odds. In times like these, nations learn how important it is to have allies by your side," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.

The figure includes 1,490 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Ukrainian forces struck three logistics centers belonging to Russian e-commerce giant Ozon for the third consecutive night, as several sites, including in occupied Crimea, were also hit, monitoring channels reported Aug. 24.

Russia struck a factory belonging to U.S. multinational food company Mondelez International in Sumy Oblast on Aug. 23, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.

Key developments on Aug. 22-23: * 'Hunting their launch sites' — Zelensky reveals new details about Ukraine's ballistic missile defense * Ukraine weighing 'radical' mobilization changes amid recruitment challenges, official says * Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Wildberries rival, Ozon, in Russia's Orenburg * Russia planning 'peripheral' mobilization of 300,000 men after elections, Zelensky says * Ukraine strikes 2 Russian fighters, air defense assets in Krasnodar Krai, drone commander

Ukraine is preparing "radical" changes to its mobilization system, including potential changes to the country's draft age, secretary of the parliamentary defense committee Roman Kostenko said on Aug. 23.

"We feel we are not alone. Our allies are with us," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Aug. 23.

"So far, he has said that this constitutes an escalation," President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters on Aug. 22. "However, he may change his mind once he sees further arguments."

The two jets, a Su-33 and a Mig-29, as well as a large Orion strike drone, were hit at the Vityazevo airfield in Russia's southern region of Krasnodar Krai, Robert Brovdi said.

In this episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines 35 years of Ukrainian independence and the centuries of Russian attempts to control, suppress, and ultimately deny Ukraine’s sovereignty.

"Elections right now are a tsunami for the state that will split Ukraine," Zelensky told journalists.

Zelensky said that Ukrainian military struck an Iskander ballistic missile launcher near Ukraine's borders on Aug. 22, without providing further details.

Russia's voluntary recruitment system has increasingly struggled to make up for losses on the battlefield, while diminishing returns in Russian offensives on the front line have fuelled talk of a new wave of mobilization in the country.

In Odesa Oblast, a Russian jet-powered attack drone hit a passenger train, Ukrainian Railways CEO Oleksandr Pertsovskyi said on Aug. 23.

The figure includes 1,310 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Ukraine's military reportedly launched a drone attack on the Russian city of Orenburg overnight on Aug. 23, striking an Ozon logistics center, Russian Telegram media channels reported.

Kellogg, previously regarded as one of the most pro-Ukrainian voices in the White House, left his position in 2025 but said his work in support of Ukraine would continue after leaving his government role.

Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov detailed what he described as widespread corruption within Ukraine's Defense Ministry in a wide-ranging interview with Channel 24 released Aug. 22, while reiterating his call for Ukraine to prepare for elections even as war continues.

The director is being investigated for negligence after the business allegedly remained open during an air raid alert.

"The proposals being conveyed to us are sometimes, I would say, exotic in nature," Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview following the United Russia party congress on Aug. 22.

The Yeysk oil terminal supplies fuel to the Russian armed forces, according to the Ukrainian military.

Ozon, Russia's second-largest online marketplace, said the attack caused a fire at its warehouse in Samara Oblast and prompted the evacuation of more than 500 employees within minutes.

French President Emmanuel Macron also agreed to help Kyiv in its communications with international partners that have supplies of Patriot air defense systems, which Zelensky has repeatedly said are critical for protecting Ukrainian civilians from Russian ballistic missiles.

Documents obtained by the Kyiv Independent show that a scheme at the center of Ukraine’s latest corruption scandal was years in the making, built by manipulating a state-owned bank’s oversight board after its nationalization in 2023. On Aug. 19, Ukraine's anti-corruption authorities accused associates of President Volodymyr Zelensky of using Sense Bank, formerly Russian-owned Alfa Bank, to launder Hr 150 million ($3.4 million). The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) says the funds were used

Ukraine's Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said the goal is ambitious and will involve state companies and private businesses, calling for all ministries, government agencies and communities to work together as a "single system."

A parliamentary committee on Aug. 21 defended its earlier decision to block five bills intended to strengthen the country's fight against corruption. The bills are requirements of the European Union, both to receive an estimated 2.1 billion euros ($2.45 billion) at the end of 2026, as well as to advance Kyiv's EU accession talks. The reforms seek to expand anti-corruption agencies' authority, reform the Prosecutor General's Office and the State Investigation Bureau, and repeal legislation that