'Moscow is desperate' — Expert on North Korean troops in Russia
The Kyiv Independent spoke with former U.K. Defense Attaché in Moscow, John Foreman CBE, about what this development might mean for the future of Russia's war and the global landscape.
Interview
Ukraine's victory can avert NATO-Russia clash, Estonian defense minister says in exclusive interview
Estonia has emerged as a staunch advocate for Ukraine in its fight against Russia, pushing its NATO allies to step up military aid and make long-term commitments to Kyiv’s defense. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur has been at the forefront of this effort, urging Kyiv's partners not merely to
‘Game changer:’ EBRD on largest investment since start of war into newly merged Ukrainian telecoms company
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Finance Corporation on Oct. 10 said they would provide $435 million to finance a recently merged Ukrainian telecoms company. The funding is part of a deal — led by French billionaire Xavier Niel — that represents the largest foreign direct investment in
We can't solve war in Ukraine without solving Belarus, Tsikhanouskaya says in exclusive interview
Editor's note: The interview has been edited for clarity. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Despite receiving popular support during the 2020 elections, the Belarusian opposition leader was kicked out of her country, her supporters were jailed en masse, while the country she wanted to
Anne Applebaum: Russia is ‘one of the world’s most unstable autocracies’
Democratic nations have grappled with a range of pressing issues in recent years, including the inherent flaws of long-established political systems, the erosion of international alliances, and global economic challenges, all while autocracies have been gaining power by exploiting this instability. American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum’s latest book,
Dutch Defense Minister Brekelmans on F-16s, Victory Plan, Ukraine’s NATO bid
Sitting at Kyiv's main train station moments before wrapping up his trip to Ukraine, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans had a lot to discuss. Brekelmans has just announced that the first batch of Dutch F-16s are flying Ukrainian skies, defending the country from Russian air strikes. He also announced that
'That's not what Georgian people want' – President Zourabichvili blasts ruling party's pro-Russia stance
Georgia and Ukraine have long been close. Witnessing revolutions that brought democratic pro-Western governments, both countries later witnessed a Russian military attack, in the Kremlin's attempt to pull both states back into Moscow's orbit. It now looks like in Georgia, 16 years after a brief war that left 20% of
Estonian President on Russia's threats of escalation
In an exclusive interview, Estonian President Alar Karis emphasizes his country’s support for Ukraine, advocating for the removal of restrictions on Western-provided long-range weapons so Ukraine can strike Russian territory.
US Ambassador Brink: ‘We have some sense of contours of Zelensky’s victory plan’
The Kyiv Independent spoke with the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink on Sept. 19 on the sidelines of the National Media Talk, an annual journalism conference held in Kyiv, and supported by USAID and Internews. The following is the transcript of the interview: The Kyiv Independent: Thank you
Ukraine's victory delayed by West's fears of Russian defeat, Canadian-Ukrainian lawyer turned soldier says
Daniel Bilak is a Canadian-Ukrainian lawyer living in Ukraine for decades, taking on critical roles in what has been a rollercoaster career amidst Ukraine's fight to prosper while defending its freedom. He has played a big role in attracting investment into the country, first as a lawyer and later, from
Estonian President Karis: We have to cross all ‘red lines,’ then start forcing Russia out of Ukraine
Estonian President Alar Karis is very diplomatic. His country of 1.3 million people borders Russia, while the ongoing messy election campaign in Washington, D.C. forces European diplomats to question whether the U.S. will help countries like Estonia in case of a direct confrontation with Moscow. Despite that,
Expert on Ukraine's defense production boost, future prospects
The Kyiv Independent’s Natalia Yermak interviews Ukrainian-Canadian lawyer and business advisor, Daniel Bilak, about the potential for investment in Ukraine and its defense sector.
Russian contract soldier turned POW on his capture near Kursk
At an undisclosed detention facility, the Kyiv Independent interviewed one contract soldier captured in Kursk Oblast. To convey a better idea of what the thoughts and motivations of the average Russian soldier are in 2024, we are publishing this interview in full.
US General Breedlove on balancing air superiority and drone warfare
Retired U.S. General Philip M. Breedlove discusses how the delayed introduction of F-16s has limited their immediate effectiveness in Ukraine and what lessons on balancing air superiority and drone warfare NATO should learn from Ukraine war.
Ukraine launched Kursk incursion without West's guidance, and ‘look how well it worked,’ says ex-NATO commander in Europe
Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for clarity. Even as Ukraine's daring incursion into Russian territory brought the full-scale war back to the headlines around the world, Moscow's forces keep grinding on the eastern front, with dire implications for the entire Donbas region. Though Kyiv's operation achieved an
Lithuanian FM: West 'chose to be caught off guard' by Russia
In an exclusive interview at the Globsec forum in Prague, Kyiv Independent journalist Martin Fornusek spoke to Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis.
Lithuanian FM: West 'chose to be caught off guard' by Russia's invasion
Sitting on NATO's eastern frontier, Lithuania has been punching above its weight when it comes to aiding Ukraine. Ranked among the top military donors in terms of GDP per capita, the country of 2.8 million has provided Ukraine with helicopters, drones, armored vehicles, and air defenses, not to mention
Russian POWs speak about their capture in Kursk Oblast
The Kyiv Independent got exclusive access to the POWs captured during the Kursk operation and interviewed them about their motivations and experience of fighting for Russia.
'The goal should be strategic defeat of Russia' – Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds
Editor’s note: The transcript of this interview has been edited for clarity. Latvia has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters since the start of the all-out war. Sharing a border with both Russia and its ally Belarus, the small Baltic country understands Ukraine’s struggle all too well. As
Kursk ‘counteroffensive’ shakes main pillar of Putin’s power grip, retired US general says
Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Kursk Oblast in southwestern Russia helped Kyiv to once again change the narrative of Russia’s invincibility in the war, says retired U.S. Lieutenant General Ben Hodges. Hodges, who served as commander of the U.S. Army Europe from 2014-2017 and has helped to
Gen. Ben Hodges on Ukraine's Kursk incursion in Russia
Retired U.S. Lieutenant General Ben Hodges analyzes the early success of Ukraine's Kursk incursion and why Russia did not see it coming. But he shares concerns that the West might still fail Ukraine.
Pavlo Smytsnyuk: Vatican's Ostpolitik in Russia-Ukraine war balancing neutrality and dialogue
Editor's Note: The Kyiv Independent is exclusively re-publishing an interview with Pavlo Smytsnyuk prepared by the Forum for Ukrainian Studies, a research publication for experts, practitioners, and academics to discuss, explore, reflect upon, develop, and transform international understanding of contemporary affairs in Ukraine. This platform is run by the Canadian
How drones are shaking up the air war in Ukraine
The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell spoke with Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow for airpower and technology at RUSI, about the evolving dynamics of airspace in Russia's war against Ukraine.
General Mick Ryan on Ukraine’s strategic calculus in Kursk Oblast
Editor’s note: The transcript of this interview has been edited for clarity. As it entered its second week, Ukraine’s cross-border offensive into Russia’s Kursk Oblast is showing no signs of slowing down. Although the element of surprise that overwhelmed the thin Russian defending force in the first
Military expert on Ukraine's Kursk offensive: 'high risk, high return'
Just over a week ago, Ukraine launched a surprise counteroffensive across the border into Russia's Kursk Oblast. The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell discusses what might come next for Ukraine with retired Australian Major General Mick Ryan.
Expert analyzes Ukraine's F-16s' capabilities
The Kyiv Independent's senior news editor Martin Fornusek spoke with defense and aviation expert Peter Layton about what we learned from this footage – how the F-16s are equipped and what could be the strategies and challenges of operating them.
Francis Farrell answers questions about war in Ukraine
The Kyiv Independent's war reporter Francis Farrell sat down to answer questions from our viewers about Russia's war in Ukraine and his experience of covering it.
Czech FM: Ammunition initiative is a vital part of Ukraine's defense but needs more donors, money
The Czech ammunition initiative secured financing for half a million shells for Ukraine and can gather more if it finds additional donors or finances, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said in an interview with the Kyiv Independent on July 23. Czechia unveiled the international initiative earlier this year amid Ukraine's
Ukraine has a ‘different kind of nationalism,’ says historian Franziska Davies
Ukraine was “a blind spot” for Germans up until Moscow’s full-scale invasion, Franziska Davies, a historian of Eastern and Eastern Central Europe, told the Kyiv Independent in an interview. “And if there is a blind spot, propaganda narratives can easily fill it with falsehoods,” Davies said, explaining why Russia-planted
Dutch ambassador to Kyiv on F-16s, MH17, and Scythian gold – 'Ukraine is fighting not only for itself but also for us'
The recent career of the outgoing Dutch Ambassador, Jennes de Mol, has been a good reflection of his country's relations with Ukraine. A career diplomat, De Mol was the Dutch Consul General in Saint Petersburg in 2014, when he came to Kyiv to assist the Dutch embassy in the aftermath
Canada trade minister: Revamped trade deal shows commitment to Ukraine for ‘decades to come’
After a long journey fraught with a global pandemic and all-out invasion, Canada and Ukraine successfully revamped a free trade agreement that comes into play on July 1, expanding the relationship between Canadian and Ukrainian businesses. The Canada Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA) was initially introduced in August 2017, abolishing
Exclusive: Nepali POW questioned by Ukrainian authorities
The Kyiv Independent has obtained footage of Ukrainian authorities questioning a Nepali prisoner of war captured when he was fighting for Russia in Ukraine. The footage was obtained from intelligence sources. The Kyiv Independent edited it for brevity.
Most popular
Editors' Picks
'Surrender & betrayal' — US, EU officials condemn Trump, Hegseth's comments on Ukraine peace negotiations
As US and Russia start talks, what peace terms could Ukraine accept?
From drone simulators to civics: Ukraine reforms school curriculum to protect next generation from Russian threat
