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Lukashenko trades prisoners for sanctions relief — and keeps the upper hand
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Lukashenko trades prisoners for sanctions relief — and keeps the upper hand

by Maria Yeryoma

As dust settles from a historic deal that saw Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko free 123 political prisoners in exchange for a partial U.S. sanctions relief, the main question remains unanswered — what now? Trump’s newly appointed special envoy, John Coale, arrived in Minsk on Dec. 12 and secured the biggest prisoner release so far, with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and leading opposition figures Viktar Babaryka and Maria Kalesnikava walking free the following day. The inc

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'It's disgusting' — How Russia legalized property theft in Ukraine's occupied territories

Editor's note: The names of some of those from Russian-occupied Ukraine have been changed for security reasons. With one decree, Russian President Vladimir Putin this month effectively legalized property theft in Ukraine's occupied territories. The new law allows the occupational authorities to seize residential premises that "show signs of being ownerless." In reality, the owners have usually fled, or been killed by, Russia's full-scale invasion. "I'm in utter despair that the Russians are t

A woman carries bottles of water in the Russia-occupied Mariupol, Ukraine, on July 14, 2025.

How does Ukrainian culture survive war? One Austrian foundation has a long-term answer

From the grand halls of Kyiv's cultural institutions to small regional initiatives shaping public dialogue, Ukraine's cultural life has faced unprecedented pressures. Amid daily attacks, occupation, and displacement, many of the country's most remarkable cultural projects continue — thanks to steadfast support from ERSTE Foundation, one of the most consistent international partners in Central and Eastern Europe. For more than two decades, the Vienna-based institution has been deeply engaged in

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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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Zelensky reveals full 20-point peace plan draft backed by Ukraine, US

Zelensky reveals full 20-point peace plan draft backed by Ukraine, US

After weeks of talks, Ukraine and the U.S. have prepared a draft of the revised peace plan to end Russia’s full-scale war. The initial 28-point plan, which effectively pushed Ukraine toward capitulation, has been reworked into a 20-point framework, which President Volodymyr Zelensky presented to journalists on Dec. 23 for the first time. In addition, a three-party security guarantee draft between Ukraine, the U.S., and Europe has been developed, as well as a bilateral security guarantee agreem

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