KI short logo

Culture

The Hidden Canon: Discover Ukrainian literary classics

A Kyiv Independent project backed by the Ukrainian Institute

Ukrainian InstituteLearn more
'One of the holiest places' — Why Kyiv's ancient Pechersk monastery is so important for Ukraine
Culture

'One of the holiest places' — Why Kyiv's ancient Pechersk monastery is so important for Ukraine

by Kate Tsurkan

The Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, one of Orthodox Christianity's oldest and most sacred monasteries, was among the targets in Russia's latest overnight attack on June 15. Images of the religious site in flames sparked outrage and horror throughout Ukraine and the world. "(T)he roof of one of the holiest places in the Christian world — the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra — is burning," Metropolitan Epiphanius, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, wrote on X o

More from Culture

NewsLetters

News Feed

Thursday, June 18

'Unprecedented' earnings: 2 years on from Russia-North Korea pact, here's what Putin, Kim have gained

June 19 marks two years since Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un signed a mutual defense treaty in Pyongyang, bringing Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, or North Korea) into their closest alignment since the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the two years since, DPRK troops have fought alongside Russian forces in the war against Ukraine. North Korean missiles have struck Ukrainian cities, and millions of exported artillery shells have helped fuel Russia's war machine. In re

Tulsi Gabbard's last pass to Russia

Outgoing U.S. National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard's declassification of intelligence that she claims reveals U.S. funding for biological laboratories, including in Ukraine, was quickly amplified by Russian propaganda bot networks, the Kyiv Independent has learned. The claims themselves are hardly new. Russian propaganda outlets have pushed variations of the same narrative for years, and Gabbard herself promoted similar allegations before joining the Trump administration. Information

Tulsi Gabbard testifies during a House Select Intelligence Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S. on March 19, 2026.

How 'Russophobia' becomes a tool against political resistance

Russia's new law authorizing the use of military force abroad to "protect Russian citizens" allows the Kremlin to deploy troops beyond Russia's borders if Russian citizens are deemed to face arrest, detention, trial, or other forms of perceived persecution by foreign states or international courts. Many will read this primarily as a possible legal basis for future intervention. Yet there's one more application we should all be aware of. Russia has previously justified military action beyond it

Russian soldiers place a Russian flag atop their tank in Tskhinvali, Georgia on Aug. 11, 2008.

UK to send Ukraine 150,000 drones, air defense systems using proceeds from frozen Russian assets

The U.K. will provide Ukraine with 150,000 drones and more than 350 air defense missiles and radar systems under a new military aid package worth 752 million pounds ($1 billion), the British government announced on June 18. The package, unveiled during the NATO defense ministers' meeting and Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) gathering in Brussels, will be financed through the U.K.'s 2.26 billion-pound ($3 billion) Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) loan to Ukraine, backed by proceeds g

About Culture

Our reporting on literature, films, art, and traditions from Ukraine and the latest news on culture in Eastern Europe.

Ukrainian culture
Ukrainian culture has survived centuries of Russian attempts to appropriate Ukrainian art, silence Ukrainian artists, and erase the Ukrainian language. Modern Ukrainian writers, filmmakers, and musicians — some of whom are serving on the front lines — continue to develop Ukrainian culture and fight for Ukraine’s future.

Read more

Most Popular

Editors' Picks

News Feed