Stories from a country at war: Kyiv Independent comes to London

The Kyiv Independent will host a live storytelling event in London on Oct. 2, bringing together its journalists and readers for an evening of firsthand accounts of reporting, working, and living through Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.

We spend most of our time reporting from Ukraine for an audience we don't actually see. And this October we are set to change it, and are inviting you to spend an evening with us in London — to hear the stories behind our reporting, ask us questions, and meet our team in person. The event will also bring together media colleagues, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and others united by their desire to support Ukraine and independent journalism.

Buy tickets here

The event, to be held on Oct. 2 at Kings Place, will be hosted by Editor-in-Chief Olga Rudenko and feature talks by CEO Daryna Shevchenko, Deputy Chief Editor Toma Istomina, war reporter Francis Farrell, video creator Olena Zashko, and business reporter Dominic Culverwell.

The stories you'll hear that evening range from personal experiences amid Russian attacks, to a war reporter's firsthand experiences of documenting war crimes to the reasoning of choice to stay and live in Ukraine.

As Olga says, "Live storytelling is a very special and intense experience for us as journalists — we come before people stripped of the usual barrier of paper or screen. It works for a different level of connection and allows us to offer more. It's also, frankly, a little scary. But it's so great to be able to do it in London, where we have many followers, and Ukraine has many allies."

We rarely get to meet the people who read our stories and make our work possible — which is exactly why evenings like this matter to us.

As Francis puts it, "The most powerful way to communicate remains face-to-face. In recent months, the war has only become darker and more confusing, and the need to cut through the narrative noise has only become more acute."

"Since the full-scale invasion, London has been an unrivalled hub of people who understand what this struggle is about, and I am more than excited to see everyone there, old friends and new."

The war is not only what we report on. It also shapes our own lives in ways that are sometimes difficult to put into words.

For war reporter and video creator Olena Zashko, years spent filming the war meant documenting soldiers holding their positions, families evacuating, and the suffering and loss inflicted on Ukrainian communities. Then, one day, it was her own family evacuating as Russian forces closed in on her hometown.

"That experience became one of the most terrifying of my life."

At the London event, Olena will reflect on that experience and what it means to tell stories about a war that has reached into her own family.

"War is not only about weapons and explosions. War is about people. And we are people who still live, work, dream, and exist during this time in Ukraine."

As the Kyiv Independent team makes its final preparations for the London event, Russia's war against Ukraine continues to intensify. Russian attack drones are striking Kyiv day and night, alongside regular ballistic missile attacks. The stories our journalists will bring to London are unfolding against the backdrop of a war that continues to shape every aspect of life in Ukraine.

We look forward to meeting you in London on Oct. 2.

Buy tickets here