Business news

Created in collaboration between Kyiv Independent and KPMG Ukraine Gateway
An investor’s guide to
UKRAINE
Learn more
Ukraine's pornography ban fuels corruption. Legalization could boost war funding
Business

Ukraine's pornography ban fuels corruption. Legalization could boost war funding

by Dominic Culverwell

Editor’s note: The two OnlyFans models interviewed for this article are referred to by pseudonyms for security reasons. Whenever there's a knock at Velma's door, she immediately fears it's the police. The young Ukrainian woman isn't a drug dealer or Russian spy, but instead a former adult OnlyFans model — a profession that is illegal in Ukraine under its strict anti-pornography laws. Velma initially started as a social media manager for an OnlyFans agency which manages the operations of the mo

News Feed

Zelensky's government reshuffle was even more chaotic than you think

Two of Ukraine's most important wartime ministries had been thrown into legal limbo following President Volodymyr Zelensky's government reshuffle, leaving the country without confirmed political leadership at both the Foreign and Defense ministries. After parliament approved the new Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi on July 16, both Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov automatically lost their posts under Ukrainian law. The usual procedure would

Ceasefire as camouflage — How Russia weaponizes negotiations against Ukraine

Ahead of its annual spectacle of military ostentation — noticeably scaled down this year—  Russia's Defense Ministry issued two statements on May 4, 2026: one declaring a unilateral ceasefire for May 8 and 9 and presenting the announcement as evidence of restraint and humanitarian intent; the other warning that Ukraine risked a "massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv" should it disrupt Victory Day events. Only from a Western perspective did the two statements appear contradictory. To seas

Russian President Putin during a visit to Zhukovsky, Moscow Oblast, Russia, on June 24, 2026.

Former Fedorov advisor accuses Syrskyi of deliberately weakening Ukrainian army in explosive livestream

A former adviser to dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has accused Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi of covering up friendly-fire incidents and the deliberate weakening of some Ukrainian brigades in the face of Russian assaults. Sternenko's livestream comes two days after Fedorov's dismissal as defense minister, a move that caused a seismic political shock in Ukraine. It also comes a day after Fedorov himself held a press conference and admitted he pushed for Syrskyi to be replaced,

Ukrainian media defy court ban, publish forbidden report on top official's brother

According to the report, Oleksiy Sukhachov’s brother Oleksandr has bought 143 apartments at a price far below their market value, with an apartment being valued at the price of a smartphone. The construction of the apartment buildings involved has been investigated by Oleksiy Sukhachov’s State Investigation Bureau, raising questions about a potential conflict of interest.

About Business

The Kyiv Independent’s Business Desk covers the biggest news in business, economics, and tech from Ukraine, as well as global developments that shape the economy of the region.

Most Popular

1.

This is a developing story and is being updated. President Volodymyr Zelensky's dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov as defense minister has drawn a wave of criticism from soldiers, veterans, and civil society figures, who argue Ukraine is losing one of its most effective wartime officials without an adequate explanation. Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a war veteran who was a leading organizer of last summer's mass protests against a law curbing the independence of Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies, called fo

News Feed