Culture

Igor Pomerantsev in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, in September 2021.
Culture

‘A cult of death’ — Former Soviet dissident on Russia and authoritarianism's global rise

by Kate Tsurkan

In an authoritarian society, it’s free thinkers who are targeted by those in power. A book, a social media post, a private conversation — anything can be used against those who refuse to conform in a country ruled by intimidation, lies, and outright violence. This is why, in a world where authoritarianism appears to be on the rise, a free press is more important than ever. Few understand this reality better than Igor Pomerantsev, a veteran radio broadcaster, poet, and former Soviet dissident. H

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Europe loads 'trade bazooka,' ready retaliatory measures against Trump's Greenland tariff threats

The European Union is preparing a response to U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to impose tariffs on NATO allies over Greenland, with leaders set to discuss retaliation options at a summit on Jan. 22, two people familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent. The dispute escalated after Trump renewed calls for the United States to acquire Greenland — an autonomous Danish territory — warning that Washington would do so "one way or another" and refusing to rule out military force. Trump s

Ukraine war latest live: Russia used 'updated tactics' during latest mass missile, drone strike, Zelensky says

This is Chris York reporting from Kyiv on day 1,427 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Today's top story so far: Russia used "updated tactics" during its latest overnight aerial assault on Ukraine's energy infrastructure on Jan. 20, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, adding Kyiv would be informing allies including the U.S. about the development. The overnight strike targeted substations serving nuclear power plants, and triggered widespread outages of electricity, water, and heat

Trump unleashes chaotic late-night tirade against Europe, vows to take Greenland

Editor’s Note: The Kyiv Independent has made an editorial decision not to edit messages from U.S. President Donald Trump for grammar or clarity. When European officials woke up on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump hadn't gone to bed yet. He was busy attacking European leaders through his social media platform Truth Social. “Shockingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Maur

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.
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