Help us find 5,000 new members. Bring one friend.

Share your personal link and make us stronger in 2027.

Russia-Ukraine War

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

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

by Kateryna Hodunova

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

News Feed

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

The cover of “Kvitky” by Old Khata and a drawing featured in the book.

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

Raisa Donbekirova lights a trench candle in her apartment in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Jan. 10, 2026.

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.

About War

The Kyiv Independent's coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, after eight years of aggression against Ukraine that began in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and fighting in Donbas. The war has resulted in tens of thousands of military and civilian casualties and displaced millions of Ukrainians. NATO and Western allies have provided military aid to Ukraine while the conflict continues across fronts in Ukraine’s south and east.

Read more

News Feed