Investigations

An illustration of a man talking to a woman on an online dating site.

Investigation: The romance scam tricking men into ‘rescuing’ Ukrainian women from Russian occupation

by Linda HouraniOctober 16, 2026

Stefan, a 48-year-old Austrian national whose name has been changed at his request, had been looking for a Ukrainian partner. Having previously dated a Ukrainian woman, he said he was drawn to what he viewed as the importance of family in Ukrainian culture. He met "Alona Panchenko," who claimed to be from the Russian-occupied city of Enerhodar in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, on the international dating website Christian Cupid. Soon after they matched, she suggested moving their conversation to email.

Investigation: Western machinery at the heart of Russian arms producers like Kalashnikov

by Alisa YurchenkoSeptember 21, 2026

Investigation: Inside Russia's FSB prison system in Crimea

by Olesia BidaSeptember 11, 2026

Investigation: How EU machinery keeps feeding Russian missile makers

by Alisa YurchenkoJune 19, 2026

Poster for Last Seen in Crimea, new the Kyiv Independent documentary

Last Seen in Crimea: Kyiv Independent documentary investigates Russia's secret detention system for Ukrainian civilians

by Kyiv IndependentOctober 13, 2026

Investigation: A secret program, 'suicidal' missions, and death, torture in occupied Ukraine

by Jimmy RushtonApril 24, 2026

Watchdog calls for EU sanctions on raw glycerin exports to Russia after Kyiv Independent investigation

by Lucas TonksApril 23, 2026

Investigation: Western companies miss deadline to exit Russia’s main drone production site

by Alisa YurchenkoApril 13, 2026

NewsLetters

News Feed

Monday, October 19

07:05 PM

Ukraine to compensate damaged cargo ships, as Russia rejects Black Sea proposal

Under a mechanism developed by Ukraine’s Infrastructure Ministry, Kyiv will compensate shipowners, operators, and charterers whose vessels fly under the Ukrainian or a foreign flag for up to 80% of the assessed damage if insurers don’t cover the risks.

06:31 PM

How Russia exploits echoes of war fatigue in Ukraine

On the night of Oct. 2, Russian drones struck Kyiv's Southern Bridge once again. The city closed it and Paton Bridge, restricted traffic on Metro Bridge, and was gridlocked by multi-kilometer traffic jams by morning. On the same day, Oleksii Honcharenko, a member of parliament from the opposition European Solidarity party, wrote that "we are losing the war" and need to "negotiate about everything under the sun." He proposed discussing a neutral status instead of NATO membership, making concess

Firefighters recover the body of an elderly woman from the rubble in Sloviansk, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on Oct. 17, 2026.

11:20 PM

3 waves of Russian missiles slam Kyiv overnight, killing at least 1, injuring 8

Several explosions rocked the capital just before 11 p.m., with further attacks around 3 a.m. and 7 a.m., Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground reported. Ukraine's State Emergency Service (DSNS) said damage was reported in at least three districts.

06:18 PM

Investigations

Investigation: The romance scam tricking men into ‘rescuing’ Ukrainian women from Russian occupation

Investigation: Western machinery at the heart of Russian arms producers like Kalashnikov

Investigation: Inside Russia's FSB prison system in Crimea

Investigation: How EU machinery keeps feeding Russian missile makers

Last Seen in Crimea: Kyiv Independent documentary investigates Russia's secret detention system for Ukrainian civilians

Investigation: A secret program, 'suicidal' missions, and death, torture in occupied Ukraine

Watchdog calls for EU sanctions on raw glycerin exports to Russia after Kyiv Independent investigation

Investigation: Western companies miss deadline to exit Russia’s main drone production site

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Investigation: Unmasking the anonymous hosts of 'Russians With Attitude,' a pro-war podcast popular with US far right

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Investigation: How Russian drones exploit European technologies to strike Ukraine, and beyond

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Exclusive: American, European microchips found in Russia's latest missile-like drone

Investigation: Sick Ukrainian children exploited in fraudulent charity campaigns linked to US, Israel

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Russia is preparing Ukrainian children from occupied territories to fight in its war

NewsLetters

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Ukraine to compensate damaged cargo ships, as Russia rejects Black Sea proposal

How Russia exploits echoes of war fatigue in Ukraine

3 waves of Russian missiles slam Kyiv overnight, killing at least 1, injuring 8

Ukraine, Russia nearing agreement on evacuation of civilians from occupied Oleshky, ombudsman says

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Investigation: The romance scam tricking men into ‘rescuing’ Ukrainian women from Russian occupation

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