Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States has just about as much trouble answering the question “how are you?” as many Ukrainians these days. “I usually tell people we are kicking, fighting, but to say that we are fine is hard,” Oksana Markarova told the Kyiv Independent during our first
Key developments on Jan. 9: * General Staff: Russia trying to advance in Donetsk Oblast, conducts offensive in Bakhmut direction * Russian attack on Shevchenkove village kills 2, injures 6 people * 15 injured, including 2-year-old child, in attack on Ochakiv in southern Ukraine * Iran 'may be contributing' to Russia's war crimes in
Key developments on Jan. 8: * Ukraine’s Defense Ministry: Situation ‘very difficult’ in Ukrainian-controlled Soledar, Donetsk Oblast * Ukraine, Russia swap 50 troops each in first prisoner exchange of 2023 * UK Defense Ministry: Russia strengthening defense ahead of potential Ukrainian breakthrough in Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk oblasts * Ukrainain military spokesman claims neither side
The Russian economy has faced unprecedented sanctions since the Kremlin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. The latest events – the West's embargo on seaborn oil and price cap on Russian oil sales worldwide – are seen as a blow to the Russian economy, whose backbone is the energy
Kyiv – Hundreds of kilometers from battles raging in the country's east and south, Ukrainians in Kyiv celebrate Christmas twice to cherish precious moments with their loved ones. While Christmas is widely celebrated across the world on Dec. 25, Orthodox worshippers traditionally mark the festival on Jan. 7 instead. In Ukraine,
Previously the entire Lavra was controlled by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, an affiliate of the Russian Orthodox Church.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced “the largest yet” new military assistance package for Ukraine, worth over $3 billion and including long-awaited Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, on Jan. 6. At a separate Pentagon press briefing an hour later, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Laura Cooper gave further details on
In this episode of our podcast "Power Lines: From Ukraine to the World," co-produced with Message Heard, we again take a look into cyber warfare, this time from a more policy-focused perspective, as Jakub speaks with Lauren Zabariek, the executive director of Harvard’s Belfer Center. Lauren tells us about
Belarus entered 2022 gobbled in its ongoing political crisis and finished it as an accomplice in an unprovoked and brutal Russian aggression toward Ukraine. Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko conceded his country's sovereignty to Russia, becoming entirely reliant on President Vladimir Putin's will. Belarus reached technical default on its foreign debt
Key developments on Jan. 5: * Putin says he wants 'Orthodox Christmas ceasefire.' * Zelensky, Biden express skepticism over truce offer. * General Staff says Russian troops focus efforts on capturing Donetsk Oblast. * Russian troops continue arriving in Belarus, the country's Defense Ministry reports. Russian President Vladimir Putin said he ordered his
President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin's words about an Orthodox Christmas ceasefire. "Those who continued the terror against our country and sent their people to be slaughtered definitely do not value life and even more so do not seek peace," Zelensky said.
When Russian forces opened fire on the peaceful village of Oskil, Kharkiv Oblast, on March 27, Svitlana Voshchana realized her friend’s home was under attack. When the attack stopped, she rushed to their home, hoping the family had managed to hide. Stepping into their yard, she saw the house
BAKHMUT, Donetsk Oblast — It’s the last days of December and the heat of the holiday season. But an artillery battalion with Ukraine’s 24th Mechanized Infantry just couldn’t care less. For them, it’s like Groundhog Day – just another day of war that keeps repeating over and over.
Key developments on Jan. 4: * Ukraine says it anticipates ‘hottest’ fighting and ‘major push’ in spring, further strikes ‘deeper’ inside Russia * France vows to transfer first Western-designed tanks to Ukraine * Ukraine’s intelligence: Partisan activity has intensified in Russia to interrupt military logistics since September * General Staff: 80 Russian soldiers
Talks of dictator Alexander Lukashenko's Belarus becoming Russia's vassal gained ground in 2020 when the regime violently crushed all forms of descent, with Moscow's full backing. Two years later, Lukashenko's Belarus is barely independent from the Kremlin. The Belarusian economy is dependent on Russia's direct and indirect financial contributions, the
Editor’s Note: The Ukrainian soldiers featured in this article are identified by first names and callsigns to protect their identities. BAKHMUT, Donetsk Oblast – On the screen of a large handheld remote control, a Ukrainian drone operator scans a gray, washed-out landscape of ruined houses and muddy trenches. It isn’
Key developments on Jan. 3: * Ukraine’s intelligence: Russia to likely ‘continue offensive operations this year’ * Air Force: Ukraine has shot down nearly 500 drones launched by Russia * Russia conducts more attacks on civilian areas in Donetsk Oblast * Kuleba urges international sporting events to ban Russian athletes from competing after
Despite Russian air assaults, Olha Kardash, 38, was determined to celebrate New Year's Eve. Spending the day together was always an important tradition for the Kardash family, whose hometown in Luhansk Oblast has been under Russian occupation since 2014. Now, Kardash had to cherish every moment with her younger brother
Key developments on Jan. 2: * Ukraine’s air defense downs all 39 attacking drones launched by Russia * Emergency power outages introduced due to Russia’s overnight drone attack * General Staff confirms deadly Dec. 31 attack on Russian troops in occupied Makiivka. In a targeted attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure,
Key developments on Jan. 1: * Ukraine says it shot down 45 drones on Dec. 31-Jan. 1 * Russian shelling damages regional children's hospital in Kherson; 1 killed, 1 wounded * Ukraine's military: Russian troops need 'operational pause' in Bakhmut, Soledar fronts Russia attacked Ukraine on New Year's Eve with missiles, followed by
As Ukrainians were about to gather to celebrate New Year, hoping for a better year ahead, Russia went the extra mile to deprive people of even the slightest holiday mood. A few kilometers from central Kyiv, multiple ambulances stood waiting. In one ambulance, the crew was trying to calm down
Russia launched a fresh barrage of missiles across Ukraine on Dec. 31, killing at least one person and wounding at least 28, on New Year’s Eve. Multiple regions were targeted during the coordinated strike as Russian missiles slammed into civilian areas in the center, south, east, and west of
In a video address on Dec. 30, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov warned Russian citizens that Russia's leadership is preparing a new wave of mobilization and plans to close the border within a week.
Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the second time in ten days. On Dec. 27, Lukashenko flew to St. Petersburg to meet with Putin for the ninth time in 2022. Publicly little was said about the results of these talks. One of the Russian MiG-31
The war in Ukraine is being fought by land, sea, air… and online. Russia has long been infamous for its hacking and aggressive cyber warfare capabilities, having previously been responsible for devastating attacks in Ukraine and across the world. But how effective have they really been during the war? And
Key developments on Dec. 29 * Zaluzhnyi: Russia launches 69 missiles on Ukraine, 54 downed by Air Force * Russia's attacks kill at least 2, wound 7 on Dec. 29 * Belarus claims it shot down 'Ukrainian S-300 missile,' Ukraine calls it Russia's 'deliberate provocation' * Kuleba: There can be no neutrality toward
When Ukrainian soldiers were entering the village of Yampil in Donetsk Oblast after five months of Russian occupation, they discovered an abandoned zoo on the outskirts. Dozens of animal corpses, either killed by Russian troops or dead of starvation, were lying throughout the zoo’s territory. But in one locked
Editor's Note: This article initially said that 120 Russian missiles were launched at Ukraine on Dec. 29, citing Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the President's Office. The article was updated after Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the chief commander of Ukraine's Armed Forces, published different numbers. According to Zaluzhnyi, 69 Russian cruise missiles
Editor’s Note: We don’t reveal the real names of the people interviewed for this story due to the sensitive nature of their activities that puts them in direct danger. In the story, names were assigned to them for storytelling purposes. KHERSON – Kherson was liberated because Ukraine forced Russians
Key developments on Dec. 28: * Kremlin: Peace possible only if Ukraine agrees to Russia's annexation of its regions * Zelensky: Ukraine moving toward victory generations dreamt of * French Defense Minister meets Reznikov in Kyiv, pledges further military support * UK Defense Ministry: Russia strengthens defense near Kreminna, Luhansk Oblast The Kremlin claimed
On Dec. 28, President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered his annual speech to the Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, during its last session this year. His address was held behind closed doors and was delayed for about 90 minutes due to an air raid alert in Kyiv, according to lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak.
The liberation of Ukrainian settlements from Russian occupation inevitably comes with the revelation of new war crimes committed by Russian soldiers. In the liberated village of Chornobaivka, Kherson Oblast, at least 18 people were killed during its occupation.
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