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. Delivering her State of the Union Address last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was frank about Europe’s failures. Europe has failed to
Editor’s Note: This is an analysis by Nataliya Bugayova, a Russia Research Fellow at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a U.S.-based defense and foreign affairs think tank. This piece was originally published by the ISW on Oct. 18, 2022. The Kyiv Independent has republished
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. Ukraine is not new. As my colleague, Professor Paul Robert Magocsi, recently demonstrated in an incisive essay, “Ukraina Redux,” Ukrainians have attempted to
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. In the words of U.S. President Joe Biden, on Feb. 24, 2022, Russia launched a genocidal war against Ukraine “to wipe out
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. I’ve spent most of my career in Silicon Valley, creating three startups totaling billions of dollars in market cap thanks to my
Editor’s note: Editorials are articles that present the opinion of the editorial team of the Kyiv Independent. In a world polluted with disinformation and manipulations, we all bear responsibility for the words we choose to use. Unfortunately, some global media and other actors have chosen to act irresponsibly when
A woman holds a Ukrainian flag in central Kyiv where damaged Russian military vehicles are displayed on Aug. 24, 2022, Ukraine's Independence Day. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin) Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in our op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the
Editor’s Note: The Kyiv Independent publishes a joint statement of Ukrainian media outlets on the day Ukrainian journalist Georgiy Gongadze was kidnapped in 2000. He was later found dead near Kyiv. Though the perpetrators of this crime were imprisoned, those who ordered the assassination were never identified and punished.
Editor’s Note: This is an analysis by Andriy Zagorodnyuk, ex-Defense Minister and the chairman of the Center for Defense Strategies, a Kyiv-based think tank. It was originally published in Ukrainian by Ukrainska Pravda on Sept. 14. The Kyiv Independent has translated it and is republishing it with permission. The
Editor’s Note: This guest essay is written within the PEN Ukraine “Dialogues on War” project, supported by the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine. The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions of the Kyiv Independent. I caught
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions of the Kyiv Independent. From The New York Times: The behavior of the Russian troops… presents the picture of a man in about his lowest degradation… Here an
The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions of the Kyiv Independent. There was some speculation as to what the letter “Z” meant for the Kremlin, and why it became the symbol of Russia’s genocidal war against
Editor’s Note: This guest essay is written within the PEN Ukraine “Dialogues on War” project, supported by the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine. The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions of the Kyiv Independent. Three decades
Editor’s note: Editorials are articles that present the opinion of the editorial team of the Kyiv Independent. This Aug. 24, Ukraine is marking its most special Independence Day. Exactly six months ago, on Feb. 24, Russia launched a full-scale invasion seeking to bring an end to Ukraine’s independence.
Russia’s horrors in Ukraine illustrate what the dark ages were like. Now, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin wants to go darker. He plans to do it on the anniversary of Ukraine’s independence with sham show trials for the Azovstal defenders as ‘terrorists’. Instead of music the Mariupol Symphony Concert
Sometimes, it just makes sense to admit that clairvoyance is a rare gift. And that not too many people can explain the future. Especially concerning things as complex as the largest European war since WWII. Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine is about to cross the six-month point. It feels
Editor’s note: Editorials are articles that present the opinion of the editorial team of the Kyiv Independent. In its brutal war of conquest against Ukraine, Russia has been blatantly and systematically targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure anywhere its missiles, artillery, and guns can reach. Shocking scenes of a destroyed
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions of the Kyiv Independent. A wounded wild animal is very dangerous. So is Russia’s dictator Vladimir Putin. He is losing his bloody war in Ukraine. He’
Silhouette of a woman behind the Ukrainian flag. (Halfpoint Images/Getty Images) The morning of Feb. 24 served as a test for every Ukrainian. Many women were faced with having to protect both their own and their children’s lives, as well as those of their small businesses and team
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions of the Kyiv Independent. After suffering five months of the worst devastation in Europe since the Second World War and defending their homeland with a determination that
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions of the Kyiv Independent. As part of Russia's all-out war against Ukraine, the Russian navy’s blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports prevented some 20 million
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions of the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine has faced armed military aggression from Russia for eight years, but this should not prevent us from thinking about the restoration of
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions of the Kyiv Independent. Bullied by Russia, Germany intensely negotiated with Canada a sanctions exemption pertaining to Nord Stream 1 gas turbines included in Canada’s sanctions
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions of the Kyiv Independent. The fourth month of Russia’s brutal war with Ukraine has arrived, ruthlessly eroding Ukraine’s human and economic resources and putting into
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors. Oleg Sukhov is a staff writer at the Kyiv Independent. He has been covering the judicial corruption and judicial reforms in Ukraine since 2014. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine was a wake-up call for
A bloodied shirt, tattered pants, leather shoes sliced open and flesh shaved off by razor-wire are what I endured while getting a closer look at South Ossetia, a Russian-occupied region of Georgia. This rendering took place under the gaze of a nearby Russian watchtower, whose inhabitants thankfully chose not to
After the Second World War, the international community made a critical commitment to “never again” allow the atrocities committed during that war to be repeated. Indeed, the web site of the United Nations articulates that commitment as follows: “The Genocide Convention was the first human rights treaty adopted by the
Make no mistake, talking about off-ramps and non-humiliating exits for Russia or lack of Ukraine’s readiness for EU membership as it battles for its existence against Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s illegitimate war is the height of betrayal of democratic values. Shame on Germany, France, Italy, Austria and others.
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - MARCH 01: A demonstrator holds a banner with messages in support of the Ukrainian people during a demonstration in front of the European Parliament on March 01, 2022 in Brussels, Belgium. Hundreds of people gathered in front of the European Parliament to show their support for the
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors. How can we say with confidence that Ukraine is fighting for Europe? Well, there is a simple thought experiment for you. Would Europe be safer if Ukraine’s bravest sons and daughters weren’t willing
The New York Times editorial, “The War in Ukraine Is Getting Complicated, and America Isn’t Ready,” published on May 19, immediately caused an uproar in Ukraine. A veiled manifesto of appeasement from a newspaper known for its stellar coverage of Russia’s horrific invasion has disappointed many. In the
The unprovoked war that Russia unleashed on Ukraine has far-reaching consequences. If he wins, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will be elevated to godhood. Russia’s false historic claims to entitlements will explode. Its global propaganda machine will spin arrogant superiority sans pareil to push Russia-style dictatorship even further on countries
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