What is it like living in Kyiv during the war? We at the Kyiv Independent often hear this question from our friends and readers abroad. In this video, our reporter, Daria Shulzhenko, will guide you through everyday life in the Ukrainian capital amidst the full-scale invasion.
Polish truckers are blocking three border crossings with Ukraine, protesting the unrestricted access for Ukrainian truck drivers entering Poland. The blockade has caused major delays for cargo carriers and threatens Polish-Ukrainian relations.
The Russian offensive in Avdiivka has been an undisputed failure so far. Russian gains have amounted to little more than a handful of treelines on the flanks. The Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell explains how it happened and what to expect in the future.
From alternative history at school to training in combat skills, Moscow has employed its military-patriotic education both on Russian and Ukrainian children in occupied territories.
Oleksiy Sorokin, deputy chief editor of the Kyiv Independent, explains how the ATACMS provided to Ukraine work, how they differ from other long-range missiles, and what will now change on the battlefield.
Parliamentary elections were held in Poland on Oct. 15, with the opposition receiving 53% of the total vote. After eight years of conservative rule, the liberal pro-EU opposition will have a chance to form a government.
Since Ukraine proclaimed its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, a large share of its industries has been controlled by oligarchs like Rinat Akhmetov, Victor Pinchuk, Petro Poroshenko, Ihor Kolomoisky, Viktor Medvedchuk and Dmytro Firtash.
Throughout Russia's brutal war, Ukraine has actively sought assurances from NATO regarding its future membership in the Alliance. Why does Ukraine aspire to be a part of NATO? What are the prospects for this accession, and how might NATO also benefit from it?
Russians, who are Vladimir Putin's enemies and condemn the war, are not necessarily friends of Ukraine. Who Ukrainians describe as "good Russians," and what does the term mean?
After over a year of pleading to get long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) from the U.S., Ukraine might finally receive this much desired weapon. Though to Ukraine’s disappointment it was not included in the latest military aid package worth $325 million announced by Washington on Sept. 21,
On Sept. 19, just under three years after the end of the last major war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Baku moved decisively to finish what it started in 2020. Shortly after the announcement of the launching of “anti-terrorist” measures by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry,
After Russia’s relentless attacks in 2022, the port city of Mariupol in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast was left in ruins. Yet this has not stopped Russians from buying up houses and flats in Mariupol, or even trying to exchange them for their property in Russia.
Russian war crimes extend beyond human suffering. The environmental impact of this war might take Ukraine decades to recover. Officials have already labeled this destruction of nature as "ecocide." So, what exactly is ecocide? Find out in our explainer.
Ukraine has been campaigning for F-16 fighter jets since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. But why are the F-16s so significant? Could they dramatically change the course of the war?
On Aug. 24, 2023, Ukraine marked its 32nd Independence Day. But is Ukraine really just 32 years old? The Kyiv Independent addressed this question to historians. Everything you didn’t know about Ukraine’s flagAt a small exhibit at the National History Museum in Kyiv on Ukraine’s flag, one
Ukrainian flag — with blue on top and yellow on the bottom — is now recognized internationally. But has it always looked like this? In this video, we are digging into the history of Ukraine's flag and emblem. Everything you didn’t know about Ukraine’s flagAt a small exhibit at the
Thirty-two years after Ukraine proclaimed independence, it replaced the Soviet emblem from the country's tallest statue, the Motherland Monument in Kyiv, with Ukraine’s coat of arms, the trident.
Launched in February last year, Russia’s war against Ukraine has taken a toll on Ukraine’s culture. Russia has razed to the ground many museums and churches, destroying priceless works of art.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale war, Ukrainians have created a countless number of witty memes online. A jar of tomatoes, cotton, sunflower seeds, and a raccoon — these are just some of the objects that have been at the center of iconic war-related memes.
The Wagner Group — a Russian private military company owned by oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin — has been at the forefront of Russia’s efforts to capture the city of Bakhmut in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast. What is it, and why does Moscow use it?
Among all of Ukraine’s allies, the U.S. has been the most generous in providing military assistance during the full-scale Russian invasion. While its weapons have been crucial in helping Ukraine withstand Russian aggression, some Americans have spoken out against their country “paying” for the war. But is this
The so-called “anti-war” rallies in Europe and the U.S. have marched against arming Ukraine, which in the demonstrators’ view would bring an end to Russia’s war of aggression. In reality, such protests play into Russia’s hands.
On Oct. 18, Moscow-installed proxies in occupied Kherson announced an organized relocation of Ukrainians to the Dnipro River’s east bank, away from the city. Many media, even some in Ukraine, called it an evacuation. The Kyiv Independent’s Iryna Matviyishyn explains why it’s a dangerously wrong label.
On Sept. 21, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin announced a "partial mobilization." Russia aims to draft at least 300,000 new soldiers. The Kyiv Independent explains why the mobilization doesn't appear to be "partial" as Putin claims and what it could mean for Ukraine.
