Politics
Rage, panic, and a glimmer of hope in Ukraine as corruption scandal unfolds
Ukraine is being rocked by the biggest corruption scandal of President Volodymyr Zelensky's term. In the halls of power in Kyiv, the mood is one of dread and uncertainty about what to expect next. "It's a huge blow, but the worst part of it is that I'm not sure that we are at the end of it, it might still be unfolding," a pro-government Ukrainian lawmaker speaking on condition of anonymity told the Kyiv Independent. "What I would recommend the president to do right now is to take serious acti
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Poland reopens 2 border crossings with Belarus after their years-long closure
Poland reopened the Kuznica and Bobrowniki crossings with Belarus after they had been closed for years, citing economic reasons and strengthened security along the eastern frontier.
25 facts you (probably) didn’t know about the Kyiv Independent
As the Kyiv Independent celebrates another year of fearless journalism and community support (join our sprint to reach 25,000 paying members by 2025), we thought it was time to pull back the curtain and share a few things you might not know about us. From our name choice to Nobel “nominations” – here are 25 facts that make the Kyiv Independent who we are. 1. Born out of independence — literally The Kyiv Independent was founded by a team of journalists who got fired from another Ukrainian public
Russia's flagship oil price drops as buyers retreat ahead of US sanctions
Discounts on Urals relative to Brent reached $23.5 per barrel, the widest gap since June 2023.
From Poseidon to Kinzhal: Why Russia’s ‘super weapons’ may matter less than the Kremlin claims
For the first time in years, the Kremlin has officially claimed to have tested one of its so-called "super weapons" — the nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile — one of six “next-generation” strategic arms introduced by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018 that he said were designed to restore Russia’s nuclear deterrence capability. Taken together, the systems offered new ways to deliver nuclear strikes from land, air and sea, along with a laser platform: the Sarmat intercontinental ba
Ukraine to purchase 100 Rafale jets, Zelensky says after signing defense declaration with Macron
Zelensky told TF1-LCI news channel that Ukraine aims to buy 100 Dassault-made Rafale fighters, a 4.5-generation multirole aircraft.
Ukraine war latest live: 'Hell on Earth' — military releases pictures of devastated Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast
Hello, this is Yuliia Taradiuk reporting from Kyiv on day 1,363 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Today's top story so far: Ukraine's Ground Forces published photos of destruction in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast, on Nov. 17, showing the devastating toll Russia's grinding advances in the east are having on Ukrainian cities. Since June 2025, Kostiantynivka has been facing a looming "humanitarian catastrophe" as ongoing Russian strikes destroy critical infrastructure, leaving residen
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At first glance, a YouTube interview with Philippe Marques Pinto looks like one of dozens of others in Ukraine’s long-running campaign to recruit South American soldiers to bolster its ranks in the fight against Russia. “I worked as a private security guard in Brazil, and when I arrived here, I got training, and it was just a question of adaptation,” Pinto says in an April 25, 2025, video for the Foreign Recruitment Center, a channel run by Ukraine’s Defense Ministry. But according to police i
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