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Russia-Ukraine War

soldier holds a drone controller near a GARA UAV in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on Oct. 16, 2026.
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Export hurdles and visa waits for Ukrainian companies force Pentagon to slow its drone contest

by Leo Greenberg

One morning in June, the head of export at Ukrainian drone company Stellarion found himself unexpectedly in need of a U-Haul outside the Detroit Metro Airport in Michigan. Stellarion was set to test its drones in front of American soldiers at a competition organized by the Pentagon at Camp Grayling, a military base three hours away. But while many of its 48 invited competitors were American companies that had had weeks to modify, prepare, and fit warheads onto their drones, Stellarion was facin

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Oleshky residents reach Ukrainian-controlled territory after escaping Russian occupation

CHERNIHIV OBLAST — Evacuees from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky have reached Ukrainian-controlled territory on Oct. 31 after an arduous 19-hour journey. The city's residents, who had been trapped in a worsening humanitarian crisis for months on end, arrived to an emotional reception at the border crossing with Belarus by relatives, health workers with ambulances, aid organizations, police, and media. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the mission was successful, thanking all parties

Why Ukraine has launched a platform for citizens considering a future return

As millions of Ukrainians weigh what comes after displacement, a new platform aims to help people make informed decisions about returning home without telling them they should. For Ukrainians living across Europe, the hardest part of returning may no longer be the journey itself, but deciding where to begin with sorting out documents, work, housing, local services, or finding a place where rebuilding everyday life feels realistic. Many Ukrainians abroad have spent their time working toward sta

About War

The Kyiv Independent's coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, after eight years of aggression against Ukraine that began in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and fighting in Donbas. The war has resulted in tens of thousands of military and civilian casualties and displaced millions of Ukrainians. NATO and Western allies have provided military aid to Ukraine while the conflict continues across fronts in Ukraine’s south and east.

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