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What Russia's push to ban Telegram means for its economy — and war effort

by Olena Goncharova

“Why do you block the internet?” reads one of the comments under the latest post on Roskomnadzor’s official VKontakte social media page — a bland Women’s Day greeting from the very censorship agency leading Russia’s harshest crackdown on online communication in years. Russian authorities have set April as the target for finally blocking Telegram, one of the last popular international messenger apps still accessible in the country, and force users toward the Kremlin’s glitchy “national messenger

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Tired, scared, or deliberately obstructive: Why Ukrainian lawmakers refuse to vote for reforms

As Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada enters its seventh year without a general election, a troubling narrative has taken hold in Kyiv's political circles that parliament is broken, paralyzed, and incapable of delivering the reforms Ukraine's international partners require. MPs and governmental officials are giving two explanations for this supposed dysfunction: personal exhaustion and fear of anti-corruption investigations. Neither holds up to scrutiny. The crisis may be real, but it originates not in

President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives to speak to parliamentarians at the Verkhovna Rada in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Oct. 16, 2024.

The political chess behind Poland’s military spending

Poland, one of the largest countries on the EU’s eastern flank, has sharply ramped up its military spending since 2022, with defense expenses reaching 4.5% of GDP in 2025 — among the highest in the European Union. Investment in the military is also exceptionally popular: 67% of Poles support further increases in defense budgets, according to recent local polls. Yet despite this strong backing, a political clash has put the funding strategy in the spotlight. President Karol Nawrocki recently v

Ukraine war latest: For 3rd night straight, explosions rock Russian oil terminals in Leningrad Oblast

Key developments on March 27: * For 3rd night straight, explosions rock Russian oil terminals in Leningrad Oblast * Ukraine, Saudi Arabia sign major defense deal amid Iran war * Russian attacks kill 1, injure 13 in Ukraine over past day * Russia auctions off gold deposit in occupied Luhansk, Reuters reports Ukrainian drones reportedly struck oil terminals in the port cities of Ust-Luga and Primorsk in Russia's Leningrad Oblast overnight on March 27, Russian Telegram media channels reported

EU Foreign Ministers to visit Bucha on liberation anniversary, OPEC meeting — key events for Ukraine next week

Editor's note: This article is a shortened on-site version of KI Insights' public newsletter, The Week Ahead, covering events from March 30 - April 5. Sign up here to start your week with an agenda of Ukraine-related events delivered directly to your inbox every week. Audio version of The Week Ahead is now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. EU foreign ministers are set to visit Bucha in Kyiv Oblast on 31 March, marking the fourth anniversary of the town's liberation from Russia

About Russia

The Kyiv Independent’s coverage of news on Russia. Spanning eleven time zones across Eastern Europe and Asia, Russia has an estimated population of 146 million people. Russia’s capital city is Moscow, which is home to almost one in 10 Russians. Russia’s official currency is the Russian Ruble.

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