Ukraine has pioneered governmental digital services for Ukrainians, and not long ago, people primarily turned to their smartphones to quickly obtain certificates or official extracts. It was already a remarkable shake-up of the system, as Ukraine had all but abolished the long queues and red-tape headaches that once came with the simple act of getting one's papers in order, yet we planned to do more. Today,  the Ukrainian government can even support people through life's most important moments

The Netherlands has spearheaded Western support for Ukraine. The 18-million-strong NATO country was among the first to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets — the country's first Western warplanes — alongside Patriot launchers, artillery, and more Now, the new Dutch government led by Rob Jetten signals that its military stocks have reached their limits. But, as the prime minister explains, this only means that the focus must shift — toward non-military support, joint defense production, and

As Russia continues its war of conquest against Ukraine, causing thousands of deaths, international sports organizations are eyeing to welcome Russian athletes and teams back into international competition. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to lift its suspension on Russian participation on July 7, provoking angry reactions from Ukraine and across Europe. Russia had been banned from participating in Olympic sports since 2022, following the start of its all-out war, and was furt

The attacks came as Ukraine left the summit with an allied pledge of $80 billion in defense aid for 2026 and an apparent green light from U.S. President Donald Trump to produce critically needed Patriot missiles.

Russia regularly uses trumped-up charges to jail captured Ukrainian soldiers, activists, journalists, and regular civilians for lengthy terms.

Kyiv's Pechersk District Court on July 9 ordered two men suspected of killing Anastasiia Berezovska, a suspect in the attempted assassination of businessman in Monaco, into pretrial detention for two months without bail.

A fund set up by Kyiv and Washington will make its second investment in the fall, this time backing a critical minerals project, Ukraine's economy minister said. "In the fall we will announce a big investment into critical minerals," Economy Minister Oleksii Sobolev told the Kyiv Independent in an in-depth interview, in which he spoke at length about how Ukraine is a market economy at the cutting edge of learning to live in a more uncertain world.  Sometimes referred to as the "minerals deal,"

On the same day Putin spoke, the Russian government announced it would ban the export of diesel fuel until at least the end of the month.

Prosecutor General's Office said on July 9 that the investigation and evidence collection are still underway.

"The court's ruling is manifestly unlawful and violates the fundamental rights of journalists and the public to gather and disseminate information of public interest that is publicly available about the country's highest-ranking officials," Olena Shcherban, a deputy executive director at the Anti-Corruption Action Center, said.

The number includes 1,310 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

The United States renewed its strikes on Iran's military infrastructure, striking approximately 90 targets overnight on July 8-9, as U.S. President Donald Trump announced a fragile ceasefire between the warring parties "over."

Ukraine's military continued their attacks on Russian oil infrastructure overnight on July 9, targeting oil depots in multiple regions, Russian Telegram media channels reported.

Ukrainian forces downed a Russian Su-35 multi-role fighter jet "in the eastern direction," Ukraine's Air Force said on July 8.

"I just want to go out there and hopefully beat every single Russian I play in the Olympics," Ukrainian tennis star Marta Kostiuk said after advancing to the semifinals at Wimbledon.

A Kazakhstan court has overturned a previous ruling recognizing and enforcing the recovery of approximately $1.4 billion from the Russian gas giant Gazprom in favor of Ukraine's Naftogaz.

The missile strike on Odesa targeted civilian infrastructure, Kiper said. Four people have died, while seven more have been injured. Among the injured victims, six have been hospitalized, with two reported to be in critical condition.

ANKARA, Turkey — Despite all expectations, Ukraine seems to be leaving the NATO summit in Ankara with a major win. The alliance itself, less so. Alongside an allied pledge of $80 billion in defense aid for 2026, President Volodymyr Zelensky has also secured an apparent green light from U.S. President Donald Trump to produce Patriot missiles, sorely needed amid increasingly deadly Russian attacks. As the two leaders met in the Turkish capital on July 8, Trump nonchalantly added several more co

"It is clear that the enemy is trying to damage the economy, but most importantly, it is trying to create a nervous situation in society," said Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Key developments on July 8: * 'Make them yourself': Trump gives Zelensky green light to produce Patriot missiles * Russian ballistic missiles, drones rock Kyiv, fires break out, 4 killed * Zaluzhnyi: Assuming Russia has lost the war is a 'dangerous misreading' * 'Another Russian air terrorist eliminated' — Ukraine downs Su-35 U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 8 that he would grant Ukraine its longstanding request to produce U.S.-made Patriot missiles, Ukraine's only Western-supplied

Dutch PM Rob Jetten told the Kyiv Independent his defense minister's remarks — that the Netherlands had reached its limit on military aid to Ukraine — were a call for other allies to step up support.

"We would buy their drones ... And you know, if we made that deal, we'd have great protection. I love the protection," Trump told reporters at the press conference in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

In the fifth year of resistance to Russia's full-scale aggression, labor shortage has become the main challenge for Ukrainian businesses. Mobilization on the one hand and emigration on the other have reduced the labor force by millions. It's not difficult to imagine the consequences: labor shortages increase salaries and, therefore, producers' costs. They also limit firms' production capacity and their ability to export. At the macroeconomic level, a shortage of workers leads to slower economic

Ukraine's ambassador to the UK and former Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi warned against assuming Russia has "effectively lost the war," arguing that neither side's deep-strike campaigns can deliver a decisive blow in what he calls a grinding war of attrition.

Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the city's military administration, reported that as a result of the attack on Kyiv, one woman was killed, while two people were injured.

An EU and a NATO diplomat told the Kyiv Independent ahead of the summit that allies would consider the 28.3 billion euros ($32.3 billion) scheduled to be given by Brussels to Kyiv for its defense needs this year as part of the NATO pledge, even though it was agreed in April.

The European Parliament "regrets the recent unnecessary and unprovoked escalation by President Volodymyr Zelensky," reads an amendment filed by Polish lawmaker Andrzej Halicki, who hails from the same party as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The Kyiv Independent's Kateryna Hodunova and Nick Allard attended Wild Drones, a unique event that brought together active-duty Ukrainian military drone pilots to test the skills they use in combat.

According to Robert Brovdi, over the past 72 hours Ukrainian forces hit 21 vessels , including 19 shadow fleet tankers, one cargo ship, and one ferry in Crimea's Kerch.

Editor's note: this is a developing story and is being updated. U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 8 that he will grant Ukraine its longstanding request to produce American Patriot missiles, the West's only tool capable of stopping Russian ballistic missile attacks. Patriot missiles have played a key role in Ukraine's defenses, when Kyiv has been able to procure them in sufficient quantities. But in a world where Ukraine needs the missiles to protect against Russia and the Middle East n

"We remain in dialogue and recognize the common threat posed by the Russian Federation," said Polish President Karol Nawrocki.

Russian forces struck the Nemyshlianskyi district of Kharkiv, the regional capital of northeastern Kharkiv Oblast, hitting a five-story residential building.