Politics

President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, on April 23, 2026.
Politics

From showman to commander-in-chief: Zelensky's struggle to balance war, governance, and trust

by Kateryna Denisova

Riding a wave of political momentum in 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky, a showman turned wartime leader, could have hardly imagined the path his presidency would take. Some argue that Zelensky's 2019 election was less of an endorsement of his political platform, a populist one, rather a rejection of the old entrenched elite seen as ineffective and corrupt. Years later, Zelensky still faces the domestic challenges that confronted his predecessors — issues he once promised to resolve. On the internatio

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Ukraine war latest: Russia unleashes large-scale aerial assault on Ukraine, leaving 22 dead, 130 injured

Editor's note: Got an opinion on anything you've read in the Kyiv Independent so far? Send it to letters@kyivindependent.com, and it may appear in our Letters section. Key developments on June 2: * Kyiv reels after Russia unleashes massive missile, drone attack on Ukraine, killing at least 22 * Ukraine strikes Russia's Ilsky oil refinery for at least 16th time since start of full-scale war * Neva radar, Pantsir air defense, and a tugboat — Ukraine releases latest drone strike video hit list

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A charred Russian KAMAZ armored vehicle sits by the side of the road, the latest victim of a Ukrainian drone strike. Two Ural heavy recovery trucks can be seen parked either side, while several Russian mechanics attempt to replace the vehicle's melted tires. Another incoming Ukrainian drone dives, nearly silently, towards the recovery operation, aiming directly for the Russian soldiers. The footage cuts out just before impact. The video is just one of many that have flooded social media in rec

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