How Russia fueled and weaponized a 2014 Odesa fire that left over 40 dead
On May 2, 2014, a tragic incident occurred in Odesa that would become one of the most exploited narratives in Russian propaganda.
Donbas
No redemption for empire — a review of Sergei Lebedev’s ‘Lady of the Mine’
Over the past three years of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the very mention of a Russian novel or film about Ukraine has understandably evoked trepidation among Ukrainians and Ukraine's supporters. Despite Russia’s relentless missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and the staggering number of documented war crimes
Ukraine's first Prime Minister Vitold Fokin dies at 92
Following Ukraine's declaration of independence on Aug. 24, 1991, Vitold Fokin became the country's first prime minister and served until Oct. 1, 1992.
Ukraine war latest: Ukraine confirms withdrawal from Sudzha in Russia's Kursk Oblast
Key developments on March 15-16: * Ukraine confirms withdrawal from Sudzha in Russia's Kursk Oblast * Ukraine appoints Andrii Hnatov as new chief of General Staff * Russia readying to attack Sumy as Donbas front stabilizes, Zelensky says * Trump-Putin phone call expected this week, US hopes for ceasefire within weeks, envoy says * UK
With coal miners fighting to keep Ukraine's lights on
The Kyiv Independent team visited one of the last remaining operating mines in the Donbas region to highlight the resilience of the workers who continue their work despite danger and tough conditions.
Yanukovych's son made billions selling coal from occupied Ukrainian territories, media reports
The company behind the exports, Energoresurs, is registered in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, and has exported nearly half a million tons of coal abroad between 2023 and 2024. According to the investigation, the firm sources coal from suppliers in occupied Donbas and transports it to Turkey by rail and sea.
Ukraine 'still fighting' in Chasiv Yar, despite reports of Russian capture
Editor's note: This story has been updated with comment from a serviceman from Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade communications unit. Reports that the embattled Ukrainian city of Chasiv Yar has fallen to Russian forces have been dismissed by experts and officials speaking to the Kyiv Independent, and the latest OSINT data
Tucker Carlson interviewed Russian FM Lavrov — here’s what he said and why it’s not true
Tucker Carlson, a far-right political commentator close to the incoming U.S. administration, released an interview with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Dec. 5. During the 80-minute interview, Lavrov peddled a variety of Russian propaganda talking points with little to no challenge from the interviewer. Carlson has been among
Why the West misunderstood Russia’s initial assault on Ukraine
On July 17, 2014, the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17, a commercial plane flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, shocked the world. The crash claimed the lives of all 298 passengers and crew, including 80 children. It marked a significant escalation in Russia’s war against Ukraine that had
‘Destroying us little by little:’ Ukrainian troops worried about fate of Kursk operation
Editor’s note: Ukrainian soldiers featured in this story are identified by first name only since they spoke without authorization from their command. Nearly four months after Kyiv launched a surprise cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast, some Ukrainian soldiers are increasingly pessimistic about the costly operation. “Aviation is
Russia reportedly loses a record 2,030 troops in one day in Ukraine
This surpasses the previous record of 1,950 set on Nov. 12. The total figure stands at 738,660.
What Putin hopes to achieve in Ukraine before Trump enters the White House
Donald Trump's entrance into the White House on Jan. 20 promises to offer a seismic shift in the U.S.'s approach to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and a potential "freezing" of the war. Trump has repeatedly pledged to end the war within "24 hours," sparking fears he might
For 2nd day straight, Russia's reported losses in Ukraine surge to record levels
The figure surpasses the previous record of 1,770 set just the day before.
Russia suffers deadliest day since start of full-scale invasion, Ukraine's military says
The total surpasses the previous record of 1,740 on May 13.
Battlefield situation 'challenging' and 'trending towards escalation,' Syrskyi says
"We have numerous reports about the preparation of North Korean soldiers to participate in combat operations alongside Russian forces," Syrskyi said.
Russian casualties reached record high in October, UK defense minister says
British defense intelligence estimates Russia has likely suffered more than 696,000 losses since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Ukraine facing 'grim' situation in Donetsk Oblast, as Russia claims capture of Selydove
Ukraine faces a "pretty grim" situation in Donetsk Oblast in the east of the country as Russian forces make some of their swiftest advances since the summer of 2022, according to experts and OSINT analysts. "The last week has been extremely difficult for the Ukrainians — the Russians were able to
The Counteroffensive: Why doesn’t Ukraine have a national military cemetery?
Editor’s Note: This article was published by the twice-weekly newsletter “The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak” on Sept. 28, 2024, and has been re-published by the Kyiv Independent with permission. To subscribe to The Counteroffensive, click here. Vira Lytvynenko hasn’t been able to bury her son since March 2022,
Western aid not enough to equip 'even 4 out of 14' underarmed brigades needed on the front, Zelensky says
Ukraine hadn't received enough military aid from the foreign partners to equip "even four out of 14" Ukrainian army brigades that the country "needs to be ready," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with CNN on Sept. 15.
Putin delays new mobilization, despite Kursk incursion exposing troop shortages
Amid speculation that the Kremlin is considering a new mobilization of conscripts, some potential draftees say they are not enthusiastic about defending Russian territory just over a month after the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast. "I won't go (to the front). I swore an oath to the Constitution, not to
Putin claims Ukraine's Kursk incursion failed to make Russia 'nervous,' transfer troops from Donbas
Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast failed to make Russia "nervous, fuss, and redeploy" troops away from the east of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sept. 5.
Crimea easier to retake than Donbas 'from a military perspective,' Budanov says
"From a military perspective, it is much easier to retake Crimea than Donbas, which has a front longer than 1,000 kilometers and deeper than 200 kilometers," Kyrylo Budanov said during a speech at the Kyiv School of Economics.
Land on fire: Russia's offensive in Donetsk Oblast brings destruction to new towns (Photos)
Since February, Russian forces have steadily advanced across multiple sectors of the front in Donetsk Oblast. They have occupied villages previously liberated by Ukraine, wiped out entire towns, and introduced new threats to the region's overall defense. Alongside Chasiv Yar, Niu York, and other towns, Russia aims to capture Toretsk,
The downing of MH17, and Russia’s responsibility
At best, Russia denied responsibility for the crime — at worst, it spread disinformation blaming Ukraine for the downing.
What Ukraine's partial Chasiv Yar withdrawal actually means
Ukraine announced on July 4 that its troops had withdrawn from the Kanal neighborhood in Chasiv Yar, a strategically important town in Donetsk Oblast, and the scene of an intense, bloody battle that began in early April of this year. Speaking on national TV, Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the
After a 'long lull,' Ukraine reports intensified Russian attacks near Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast
In a post on Telegram, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said its "intelligence, artillery, aviation, unmanned systems" were all working to repulse five attacks launched simultaneously.
Dnipro hospital says it has received 29,000 injured soldiers since start of full-scale war
The Mechinkov Hospital receives about 50 soldiers per day, doctors told the Kyiv Independent. The majority of these patients arrive at the facility unconscious.
At Ukraine’s key hospital for wounded soldiers, surgeons work non-stop to save lives
DNIPRO – Most soldiers are unconscious by the time they arrive at Mechnikov Hospital, the main gateway for the wounded fighting in Donbas. Located in Dnipro, a city of 1 million people 185 kilometers west of the front line, the massive Soviet-era medical facility works around the clock to save as
France charges Russian-Ukrainian man over alleged terrorist plot
The man had been staying in a hotel near the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and "products and materials intended to manufacture explosive devices" were found in his room, authorities said.
Military spokesperson denies reports of destroying bridge near Chasiv Yar
Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson of the Khortytsia group of forces, also said Russian forces are unlikely to capture the embattled town of Chasiv Yar as they do not have enough strength for a full-scale offensive.
'No region in Ukraine endures hell like Donetsk Oblast,' governor says of Russia's war
Local authorities in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk Oblast have stopped assessing the damage of Russia’s war. Daily barrages of attacks make doing so both futile and extremely dangerous. Russian forces launch up to 2,500 attacks daily at the embattled region’s towns and villages located along 165 miles
Syrskyi: Russia set a goal to capture Chasiv Yar till 'Victory Day' on May 9
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi's statement comes after his warning that the situation on Ukraine's eastern front "significantly deteriorated in recent days" as Russia has intensified its offensives in the east since last month's presidential election.
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