The new Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin began his reign with a long-awaited move, ending the seemingly never-ending saga of choosing the country's top anti-corruption prosecutor. Oleksandr Klymenko, who won the job contest back in December, was formally named the head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) on July 28.
President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 29 visited the Chornomorsk seaport in Odesa Oblast, where Ukrainian grain is now being loaded for export for the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion began on Feb. 24.
Thirty-two years ago, on July 27, the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic issued a declaration "On State Sovereignty,” approaching the country’s independence from the Soviet Union. The country’s Independence Day was celebrated on July 27 before strongman Alexander Lukashenko took power and canceled the holiday. The Kyiv Independent is
Ukraine’s state-owned oil and gas company Naftogaz defaulted on a portion of its debt on July 26 after a government decision caused it to miss the deadline for Eurobond payments. The company, which accounted for 17% of Ukraine’s public revenue in 2021, was due to repay a $335
Russia’s war has made Ukraine one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world. In this episode of "Did the War End?" we are joined by an expert to take a closer look at what would it take to demine Ukraine. The Kyiv Indie Podcasts · A Ticking Time Bomb
In his native Belarus, 30-year-old tech entrepreneur Andrey Poznyak was once a political prisoner. He spent six months behind bars for protesting Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s brutal crackdown on civil society following fraudulent elections in 2020. Poznyak later made his way to Ukraine, along with thousands of fellow techies,
Parliament appointed lawmaker Andriy Kostin, a member of President Volodymyr Zelensky's party, as prosecutor general. 299 lawmakers supported the president's candidate on July 27. Kostin, seen as a staunch Zelensky loyalist, has been accused of sabotaging judicial reform. He also used to be the Zelensky administration's preferred candidate for the
A UAE-linked company announced a $122 million investment project to build a terminal to store liquified natural gas (LNG) in Ukraine on July 18. The message raised eyebrows within the expert community, as a multimillion-dollar project near the front line doesn’t appear possible, nor does it appear to even
Editor's Note: The Kyiv Independent spoke with the children interviewed for this story with the permission of their parents. Ten-year-old Kyiv resident Valeriia Yezhova never imagined that one day she would meet renowned Ukrainian comedian, politician and volunteer Serhiy Prytula, let alone make him cry. Tears ran down Prytula's eyes
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles have been the stars of Ukrainian battlefields since the beginning of the war, detecting and destroying Russian forces. If the Ukrainian armed forces have their way, this is only the beginning. The goal now is to have drones and skilled operators in “every platoon, every battalion, every
KRYVYI RIH, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast – The country’s industrial heavyweight, Kryvyi Rih is known globally for its metallurgy and iron exports. But it's not only the metal industry that keeps the city of 600,000 people running. Machine-building, construction, chemical, woodworking, and textile industries provide thousands of jobs for locals. When
Oleksiy Symonenko, who became acting prosecutor general on July 17, may be formally appointed as the prosecutor general by the Verkhovna Rada next week, with his past record suggesting he values loyalty to the presidential administration more than being effective on the job. “He’s as loyal to the authorities
Oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky, once deemed the most powerful businessman in the country, was allegedly stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship, according to Ukrainian media and several top officials and politicians. The news was first reported on July 20 by Ukrainska Pravda, citing its sources in the presidential administration. What first seemed
According to Ukraine's Operational Command “South,” Russian forces attacked the Black Sea trade port in Odesa with Kalibr cruise missiles on July 23. The attack came a day after Russia and Ukraine signed UN-backed agreements to resume exports of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea. The deal envisioned safe passage of grain from three southwestern ports in Odesa Oblast, including the one in Odesa.
Ukraine’s richest man doesn’t want to be called an oligarch anymore. For that, he’s ready to publicly distance himself from politics and relinquish his sway over the domestic media market. Rinat Akhmetov, who owns System Capital Management (SCM), the country’s largest holding and the bulk of
Ukraine and Russia on July 22 signed agreements to resume exports of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, a deal aimed at unblocking crucial grain exports and easing fears of a looming global food crisis. During a ceremony at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul, Ukraine’s Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov
As Russia wages its war in Ukraine, it also continues to weaponize its energy resources, throwing the European continent into one of the worst energy crises in decades. After 10 days of waiting to see if Russia would resume gas supplies through the Nord Stream pipeline, the main route of
It’s been nearly a month since U.S.-provided High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, had their long-awaited debut in Ukraine, but their combat record is already extensive. Using all the heavy and long-range weaponry available to it, including HIMARS, Ukraine began a campaign that has destroyed dozens
The Kyiv Independent is continuing to provide readers with a weekly roundup to help explain current events in Belarus. To receive the Belarus Weekly newsletter subscribe via this LINK. International rating agencies Fitch and Moody’s signal Belarus hit “default,” citing the country’s failure to repay Eurobond payments. Russia
Hackers attacked one of Ukraine’s largest radio networks, TavrMedia, on July 21, broadcasting fake news about President Volodymyr Zelensky’s alleged health problems, according to Ukraine’s security officials. Unidentified hackers broadcasted reports that Zelensky was in an intensive care ward and that his duties were being temporarily performed
Russia's war in Ukraine is not only killing civilians but defenseless animals as well. Marine biologists and ecologists from countries in the Black Sea region are sounding the alarm, as dolphins die en masse for the fourth month in a row. Ivan Rusev, an environmental scientist at Ukraine's Tuzly Estuaries
Editor’s Note: The names of the people interviewed by the Kyiv Independent have been changed in this story to protect their identity as they have shared sensitive information that could place them and their families in danger. Not all of Ukraine’s attacks on Russian positions end up circulating
Oleksandr Klymenko, detective at the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, was proclaimed the winner after receiving the highest score back in December.
Editor's Note: Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova and Security Service Head Ivan Bakanov were fired by parliament on July 19, 10 hours after the article was published. President Volodymyr Zelensky dropped major news on a typically slow Sunday evening, removing from office two of his staunchest allies – Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova
One way or another, according to Ukraine’s leadership, it's bound to happen. Even though the Battle of Donbas is far from over, Ukraine is expected to open the next chapter of the war sometime in the near future — a highly anticipated, major counter-offensive operation in the south, particularly to
Andriy Smyrnov, a deputy chief of staff for President Volodymyr Zelensky, clarified on July 18 that Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova and Ivan Bakanov, head of the Security Service of Ukraine, had been suspended but not fired yet. According to Smyrnov, the top officials' suspension was needed to prevent their potential
Here's what we know so far about Zelensky's biggest reshuffle of top officials in two years.
NOVOVORONTSOVKA, Kherson Oblast – Volodymyr Bebekh finished watering his garden in the evening and decided to wash up in his outdoor shower. As he went to turn on the water, a Russian rocket flew right into his neighbor’s home. “Instead of a shower, I got covered in dirt,” Bebekh said.
People call them angels. In a blue van stuffed with bags of food, sleeping mats, water, and medicine, volunteers Artem Belan and Volodymyr Antonov, both 41, drive out of Kyiv’s suburbs for a daring mission: evacuating civilians from the frontline towns of Donetsk Oblast. The fighting in Donbas, an
VINNYTSIA – Of the more than 100 people who sought medical attention at the local hospital after Russian missiles struck the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia on July 14, Tetyana Drobotyn was looking for just one, her husband. “It was just a mess. Doctors were performing CPR right in the hallway,
The Kyiv Independent is continuing to provide readers with a weekly roundup to help explain current events in Belarus. To receive the Belarus Weekly newsletter subscribe via this LINK. Reports indicate increased Russian presence in Belarusian airspace as Belarus cedes control of one of its air bases to Russia. Belarus’
VINNYTSIA – Andrii Artymovych felt that he needed a lazy start to his day. The 34-year-old IT specialist spent the day working from home in bed with his laptop. That decision nearly cost him his life. An hour into his slow morning, Artymovych heard a loud noise. The sound of warplanes
