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Ukraine war latest: 'Large-scale' prisoner exchange agreed as 2nd day of Abu Dhabi talks concludes, Umerov says

Ukraine war latest: 'Large-scale' prisoner exchange agreed as 2nd day of Abu Dhabi talks concludes, Umerov says

Key developments on Nov. 11: * 'Large-scale' prisoner exchange agreed as 2nd day of Abu Dhabi talks concludes, Umerov says * Zelensky reveals when Ukraine expects first delivery of Swedish Gripen fighter jets * Russia strikes 6 major power substations, causing outages across Ukraine * Hackers target Ukraine's state news agency Ukrinform, replace website with anti-Ukrainian messages * Ukrainian drones reportedly target Russia's largest oil refinery, strike Baltic Sea port, missile boat * R
How we got here: 5 years of the Kyiv Independent

How we got here: The history of the Kyiv Independent

Five years ago today, a group of journalists in Kyiv was fired for standing up to their newspaper's owner. He wanted to take control of editorial decisions and end their critical coverage of Ukrainian authorities. These journalists faced a choice — to accept it quietly or attempt to start something completely new. Driven by the belief that Ukraine needed a truly independent voice in English, they dared to launch the Kyiv Independent. “This was a perfect moment to sigh, tuck our tails and walk
Old Khata's 'Kvitky' — Tribute to beauty and enduring legacy of Ukrainian folk art
Culture

Old Khata's 'Kvitky' — Tribute to beauty and enduring legacy of Ukrainian folk art

Imagine your family has survived World War I, a nationwide revolution marked by brutal violence and constantly changing governments, and a famine. Then, less than a decade later, another, even more devastating famine strikes your land under its new rulers. You and the people around you have suffered for years, and many have died. No end to the suffering is in sight.   Yet, on the eve of an important religious holiday, you sit down and decide to continue one of your people's most beautiful and h
Winter is Russia's weapon
Opinion

Winter is Russia's weapon

Winter began this year in August, once again confirming that the wisest person in my family was my grandfather Stepan. He taught me that summer ends on Aug. 2, the feast day of Saint Elijah, according to the old church calendar. From his lessons, I learned that after that day, it is no longer advisable to swim in rivers and lakes because the water in their underwater channels becomes icy cold. "Elijah pissed in the water," goes a Ukrainian folk saying. Ever since childhood, Elijah has held a s
Russian ambassador to Washington dies at 66

Russian ambassador to Washington dies at 66

Alexander Darchiev, Russia's ambassador to the U.S., died unexpectedly at the age of 66, Russia's Foreign Ministry announced on Nov. 11, without commenting on the cause of death.
How a Ukrainian veteran injured fighting for Bakhmut finds peace in pottery

How a Ukrainian veteran injured fighting for Bakhmut finds peace in pottery

The faces of the men Ivan trained come to him in his dreams. They melt and turn into skulls in the mud. Their bodies broken by mortar rounds, they call to him — "save me." In the middle of the night, Ivan gets up from his bed. Anastasia, his girlfriend, stirs and goes back to sleep. She is used to this routine. Ivan finds his way to the next room, where he takes a lump of clay and runs his fingers over the damp material, gauging its size. With an experienced guess, he places the clay on a weigh
How Russian-linked organized crime infiltrated Ukraine's law enforcement
Crime

How Russian-linked organized crime infiltrated Ukraine's law enforcement

Ukraine's latest corruption scandal has exposed an unlikely alliance between organized crime and the law enforcement officials meant to fight it. Two men from the criminal underworld allegedly wielded influence over senior Ukrainian law enforcement officials, paying bribes in exchange for protection for their illicit businesses. The latest revelations stem from a sweeping investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO),
Ukraine strikes drone port at occupied Donetsk Airport

Ukraine strikes drone port at occupied Donetsk Airport

"There should be fewer enemy drones over Ukrainian cities. That's why we are not only intercepting drones that have already been launched, but also destroying the infrastructure from which they are launched," the 412th Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces wrote.
Ukraine war latest: Rubio says security guarantees for Ukraine must also be acceptable to Russia

Ukraine war latest: Rubio says security guarantees for Ukraine must also be acceptable to Russia

Key developments on Nov. 10: * Security guarantees for Ukraine must also be acceptable to Russia, Rubio says * Russia planning strikes on Ukraine's food industry, military intelligence source says * Russian forces seek to isolate Zaporizhzhia by striking bridges, dams, Ukrainian commander says * Russian companies seek foreign data center capacity after Ukrainian strikes * Ukrainian strikes cut Russia's oil refining capacity by 30%, Reuters reports * Poland to transfer 2 MiG-29 jets to Ukr
What Russia's military buildup during Oleshky ceasefire could mean for Kherson Oblast

What Russia's military buildup during Oleshky ceasefire could mean for Kherson Oblast

After several days of quiet, the familiar buzzing of FPV drones and near-constant rumble of artillery fire have returned to Kherson. The sounds quickly drowned out the sense of security that had settled in during a ceasefire, replacing it with fear and uncertainty. For five days, from Oct. 27 to Nov. 1, the ceasefire in Kherson Oblast, intended to evacuate civilians from the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, gave Kherson residents a short reprieve from constant Russian strikes. Separated from R
The quiet death of Novaya Gazeta: How a once-powerful newspaper refused to leave Russia — and slowly lost its voice
Russia

The quiet death of Novaya Gazeta: How a once-powerful newspaper refused to leave Russia — and slowly lost its voice

Novaya Gazeta, once one of Russia’s most influential independent newspapers, shut down on Monday, bringing an end to an institution that had survived years of Kremlin pressure but had been steadily stripped of its staff, reach and ability to publish. The newspaper announced its closure on Oct. 30, citing relentless pressure from Russia’s security services. In recent years, Russian authorities have blocked its website, arrested members of its staff on dubious charges, and branded its journalist