The Russian army’s blow-up of the Kakhovka dam, a strategically important facility providing water to southern Ukraine, Crimea, and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, shocked Ukraine and the world. Another shocking development that did not go unnoticed by Ukrainians and the country’s officials was the only tweet by
MADRID – Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s weekend rebellion has shone a harsh spotlight on the apparently fragile state of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime. While Prigozhin soon agreed to stand down, and ordered his mercenary army to halt its advance on Moscow, the warlord-led uprising highlights, yet again,
The Wagner Group’s armed rebellion has displayed little evidence of being a successful challenge to Putin’s regime, but it has created a strong argument in support of Ukraine’s accelerated accession to NATO. The military drama that unfolded in Russia from June 23 to 24, orchestrated by Wagner
WARSAW – In his address to the Russian people in the wake of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mutiny, Russian President Vladimir Putin alluded to the events of 1917, when General Lavr Kornilov’s infantry rebellion opened the way for the Bolsheviks to seize power and unleash a five-year civil war. From the
Disinformation is an instrument for deliberately propagating false information with the intent to mislead. Therefore, disinformation and its sources should not be treated in the same way as fact-based news reporting. Disinformation is not one of the sides of a story. It is a falsehood that must not be accorded
“Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, is dead.” Such was the false message spread by Russia’s propaganda machine in early May – even Wagner Group head Yevgeny Prigozhin joined in. Kyiv was quick to dispel the claim as an intentional effort to “demoralize Ukrainian forces” and undermine
Successful economic planning for any nation contains this crucial question: How can we replace imports, which funnel vital capital out of Ukraine, with local production and exports, which bring foreign capital and new employment opportunities to our national economy? With respect to the import and export of energy, this question
American author Elizabeth Gilbert ignited a heated online debate when she decided to postpone the release of her new novel, “The Snow Forest,” which is set in Russia. Many Ukrainians (and not only) thought that it was insensitive for a bestselling author to choose Russia as the backdrop to their
Early in the morning of June 6, the massive Kakhovka dam on the Dnipro River, under the control of Russian occupying forces, was destroyed in the largest attack on vital civilian water infrastructure since World War II. The dam and the reservoir behind it were built in the mid-1950s to
STOCKHOLM – As Ukraine’s counteroffensive gets underway, Western countries must help liberate all Ukrainians living under Russian occupation. But Western assistance must not end once Russia is defeated. Ukraine’s supporters must also help its postwar recovery. The Ukraine Recovery Conference in London on June 21-22 is an opportunity to
OSLO – Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has elevated global nuclear tensions to a level not seen since the height of the Cold War. Absent any signs of responsible leadership from Russian President Vladimir Putin, it is incumbent on the leaders of other nuclear-armed countries to take practical and prompt action
COPENHAGEN – Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine has caused unspeakable human suffering, including war crimes committed against thousands of innocent men, women, and children. The attacks on Ukraine’s cities and infrastructure have forced millions to flee their homes and resulted in damage estimated to total hundreds of billions
Late last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin moved ahead with his threat to deploy nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil. Echoing prior condemnation of this planned action, the U.S. State Department’s spokesman added: “we have seen no reason to adjust our strategic nuclear posture or any indications that Russia
The U.S. State Department recently announced its support for the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Russian crimes of aggression against Ukraine in a hybrid “internationalized” format. This move echoes the myopic policies of Western countries toward Ukraine and has very little legal grounding. From a legal standpoint,
“Some told you … that you were missing opportunities to keep quiet – but I believe we sometimes missed opportunities to listen. That time is over.” - French President Emmanuel Macron at GLOBSEC’s 2023 summit in Bratislava, Slovakia, on May 31, 2023, in reference to a statement made by then-President Jacques
BERKELEY/KYIV – When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, few expected resistance to last longer than a few days. In both Russia and the West, Russian troops were expected to sweep into Kyiv, parade uniforms in hand, install a proxy government, and effectively end Ukrainian statehood.
On the morning of June 6 at around 2:50 a.m., an explosion erupts at the center of the Kakhovka dam, leading to its destruction and the flooding of much of Kherson Oblast. Having been mined by Russia over the course of last year and timed exactly to disrupt
The Kremlin’s push for a “long war” against Ukraine may have a snowball effect on domestic insurgency within Russia. In the early morning of June 1, the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and the Free Russia Legion (LSR) crossed the Russian border from Ukraine once again. They engaged in combat
Sanctions on Russia in the nuclear sector have not been supported by Western countries since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Controlling 38% of the global uranium enrichment market, 17% of nuclear fuel supplies and ranking first in the construction of nuclear power plants abroad, Russia continues
I was in Kyiv the night Russia launched six hypersonic missiles and 12 cruise missiles at the city. Russia had launched a hypersonic missile at Kyiv one night earlier as the Eurovision Song Contest came on TV. American Patriot systems intercepted all of them. It was the most lethal air
As we approach the much heralded and expectant Ukraine Recovery Conference due to be held in London later this month, I cannot help but feeling a little perplexed, or even disturbed by a number of developments – is it just me? But... First, I am just amazed how quickly an industry
I’ve had many talks with investors and foreign entrepreneurs throughout the last year. And the sentiment that I kept hearing was that IT in Ukraine should not be an investment priority because there are more important industries in need of restoration in Ukraine. But that’s precisely the point.
You're closely following the living history of a nation bravely resisting an imperialistic war of aggression that has inspired the world when, all of a sudden, you come across a picture of a Ukrainian soldier wearing a Totenkopf "skull and crossbones" patch or giving the Nazi salute. Rightfully so, the
With the NATO summit in Vilnius in sight, Ukrainians are placing high hopes on the political decisions made and security guarantees granted. In a comment on April 21, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said: “All NATO allies have agreed that Ukraine will become a member.” During meetings with Ukrainian Foreign
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. “China firmly upholds the UN-centered international system, the international order underpinned by international law and … will never accept the so-called rules imposed by
Editor’s Note: This article is based on a series of four reports currently produced by the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies (SCEEUS) at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. On May 10, the European Parliament signed the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and an amendment to the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)
Editor’s Note: Copyright, Project Syndicate. The following article was published by Project Syndicate on May 17, 2023, and has been republished by the Kyiv Independent with permission. The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. “You’re thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don’t. I think that’s ‘old Europe.’ If you look at the
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. At the end of April, the Verkhovna Rada registered draft law No. 9225, which further changed the procedure for selecting judges of the
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. Russia’s annual Victory Day holiday on May 9, when the country marks the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II,
Editor’s Note: The following article was published by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) on May 4, 2023, and has been republished by the Kyiv Independent with permission. The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of
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