A man reacts to the icy water during the Orthodox Christian feast of Epiphany on Jan. 19, 2022 in Kyiv's Obolon district. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
Dozens of people plunged into the icy waters of the Dnipro River on Jan. 19 in Kyiv's northern district of Obolon to celebrate Epiphany.
A woman reacts after taking a dip in icy water during the Epiphany Day celebrations of Epiphany on Jan. 19, 2022 in Kyiv's Obolon district. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)Priests bless the water in the Dnipro River during the Epiphany Day celebrations at Kyiv's Obolon district on Jan. 19, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
The tradition to bathe in the freezing water of a river or lake comes from a popular belief that on this day, the water brings health or even washes away one's sins.
People walk into the icy waters of the Dnipro River during the Epiphany Day celebrations at Kyiv's Obolon district on Jan. 19, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)People dress after swimming in the cold waters of the Dnipro River during the Epiphany Day celebrations in Kyiv on Jan. 19, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
Lately, the perception of this ritual in Ukraine has been changing. Some point out that the tradition isn't native to Ukraine, and has been adopted from Russia in the 20th Century. In light of Russia's war against Ukraine, which has been ongoing since 2014, the subject becomes sensitive.
A lifeguard looks at man as he dips into the icy waters of the Dnipro River during the Epiphany Day celebrations in Kyiv's Obolon district on Jan. 19, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)A man prays as he dips into the Dnipro River during the Epiphany Day celebrations in Kyiv's Obolon district on Jan. 19, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine has been vocal in its objections to the bathing tradition. The church was established in 2019 as an independent Ukrainian church, an alternative to the Moscow Patriarchate-governed church which was previously the largest in Ukraine.
A priest sprinkles believers with holy water during the Orthodox Epiphany service at the Dnipro River in Kyiv's Obolon district on Jan. 19, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
While the Orthodox Church of Ukraine opposes the bathing tradition, the Russia-backed church, which still remains popular in Ukraine, actively encourages it. The celebration in Obolon was organized by one of the local churches from the Russia-backed Orthodox church.
A man takes a dip into the Dnipro River during the Epiphany Day celebrations in Kyiv's Obolon district on Jan. 19, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)A man dips into the Dnipro River during the Epiphany Day celebrations at Kyiv's Obolon district on Jan. 19, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
The practice comes with some risk: a 52-year old man was found drowned today after taking an icy dip near the town of Fastiv in Kyiv Oblast, according to a police report.
Priests participate in the Orthodox Epiphany service at the Dnipro River in Kyiv's Obolon district on Jan. 19, 2022. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)A man takes a dip in icy water during the Orthodox Christian feast of Epiphany on Jan. 19, 2022 in Kyiv's Obolon district. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
Dmitry Kozak, a longtime associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin and one of the few senior Russian officials to oppose the invasion of Ukraine, has reportedly resigned from his post as the Kremlin's deputy chief of staff.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine will receive Patriot and HIMARS missiles as part of a U.S. weapons package financed by NATO allies.
The drone, whose model was not disclosed, flew over several sensitive sites, including government buildings and the presidential residence, on the evening of Sept. 15.
Washington and Kyiv will invest $75 million each to kickstart the Ukraine reconstruction investment fund that gives the U.S. special access to mineral sites and other projects in Ukraine, the Economy Minister Oleksii Sobolev told journalists on Sept. 17.
"Today, they are all safe in Ukraine, receiving psychological support, restoring their documents, and taking their first steps toward a peaceful new life," Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak said.
Germany's previously cautious position on seizing the assets has shifted recently, partly as a result of fears that if the U.S. completely pulls aid to Ukraine, the burden to support Kyiv will fall disproportionately on Berlin, according to Bloomberg.
The Kyiv Independent’s Kate Tsurkan sits down with internationally renowned artist and activist Ai Weiwei during his first exhibition in Ukraine dedicated to Russia's full-scale war.
The man, who identified himself as Evans and said he was an athlete in civilian life, said he traveled to Russia as a tourist and was deceived into joining the Russian army.
The aid will be the first use of the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), a mechanism developed by NATO members and the United States to coordinate and fund Kyiv's most urgent battlefield needs.