The following opinion piece accompanies the Kyiv Independent's War Crimes Investigations Unit's newly released documentary, "Shadows Across the River." Watch the documentary by clicking here. “Let Russia retain control over occupied Ukrainian territories to finally freeze this war!” This refrain, repeated in media and political discourse worldwide, has become a
Imran Khan, cricket star and then-prime minister of Pakistan, visited Russia on Feb. 23-24, 2022 – the first visit by a Pakistani leader to Russia in over two decades. On the second day of his visit, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Some political analysts suspected that Khan’s visit
“What’s the point of a world without Russia in it?” asked a well-known politician, now a wanted war criminal, back in 2018. A less prominent Russian figure echoed this sentiment in 2024, though less threateningly, when he remarked, “The disintegration of Russia would be a catastrophe, not only for
When a country goes through a war, documentarians often feel empowered to capture reality with the aim of creatively reflecting the pain on both a national and personal level. As the history of documentary cinema shows, such conditions can be the birthplace of groundbreaking films that shape the genre. Yet,
Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance might consider himself a genius for proposing “neutrality” for Ukraine as the centerpiece of his plan to end Russia’s war. For Vance, this appears to be a true eureka moment. Unfortunately, the concept of neutral status for Ukraine is not new. Vance
Referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine simply as “Putin’s war” is quite common, but this framing is misleading. It oversimplifies the invasion, affects allies’ perceptions, and fuels Russian propaganda. By focusing solely on the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, blame for this brutal aggression is shifted away
Victory in war is sometimes easy to define. World War II ended with Allied troops in control of Berlin and Tokyo, and with the German and Japanese leadership removed. The Vietnam War, on the other hand, ended in a clear defeat for the United States: North Vietnam conquered South Vietnam
During the last decade, Western governments, analysts, and media personalities have struggled to understand Russia’s actions and renewed imperial aggression in Ukraine – especially as the invasion has turned into a quagmire that the Kremlin appears unable to escape. Since 2022, one-third of Russia’s prized Black Sea Fleet has
Two and a half years after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian economy seems like a riddle wrapped in an enigma of competing narratives. If you want to argue that the economy has been hobbled by Western sanctions, by the Kremlin’s prioritizing of
Two years ago, a Georgian pro-Kremlin fringe channel aired a fabricated story featuring photoshopped images of several NGO representatives, including myself, in handcuffs at a fictional trial. This scenario, supposedly the result of a meeting between then-Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Russian President Vladimir Putin, was laughable at the
This article contains descriptions of physical and sexual violence, which may be disturbing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised. Forced nudity during “welcome beatings,” naked “crouch walking,” and gratuitous stripping and body cavity searches are but a few examples of the abuse Viktor Lakhno, 26, a former prisoner of
On the night of Jan. 14, 2023, a monument to the great Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko was dismantled from the central square of Melitopol, a Russian-occupied city in southern Ukraine. Ivan Fedorov, the exiled mayor of Melitopol, said Russian forces removed the monument to eradicate every trace of Ukraine in
In the past week, both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Polish President Andrzej Duda made stops in Pennsylvania. Zelensky toured an ammunition factory in Scranton, while Duda attended the unveiling of a statue at the Czestochowa cemetery commemorating the Polish Solidarity movement and its fight for independence against the Soviet-backed
Editor’s Note: This article was published by the twice-weekly newsletter “The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak” on Sept. 28, 2024, and has been re-published by the Kyiv Independent with permission. To subscribe to The Counteroffensive, click here. Vira Lytvynenko hasn’t been able to bury her son since March 2022,
Ukraine is at a crucial turning point. As we focus on reconstruction amid ongoing Russian aggression, one aspect is pivotal to our success: war risk insurance. This tool is indispensable for attracting foreign investment and ensuring the resilience of local businesses. War risk insurance is designed to protect businesses against
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a seemingly significant modification of Russia’s military doctrine in a statement on Sept. 25. He revealed that the new doctrine would propose considering aggression against Russia by a non-nuclear state, “with the participation or support of a nuclear state,” as a “joint attack” on
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed below are those of the author(s) and signatories and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. Dear U.S. President Joe Biden, As Ukrainian cities continue to be targeted by Russian missiles and drones, bringing death and devastation to
Returning from their summer recess, European Union leaders have a packed agenda. At the top of the list are strengthening the bloc’s readiness for conflict and bolstering its economic competitiveness. For decades, the EU relied on economic influence as a substitute for hard power. But in an era of
Russian President Vladimir Putin denies Ukraine’s right to sovereignty, having invaded it twice since 2014. Thankfully, his efforts to subjugate the country have been thwarted by the courage of the Ukrainian people. After two and a half years of fiercely defending their homeland, it has become abundantly clear that
On a recent trip to Kyiv, I was fortunate enough to join a tour of the city led by Olena Zaretska, the granddaughter of the legendary Ukrainian artist and dissident Alla Horska. Horska was part of a generation of young writers, artists, and intellectuals who challenged the repressive cultural atmosphere
With Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine now well into its third year, there are mounting questions about whether any sort of peace or victory is possible. Much depends, of course, on how one defines those terms. For Putin, the explicitly stated objective is to eliminate
Plans for ending the war, rumors of a new “Minsk 3.0” contact group, preparations for elections in Ukraine… The casual observer might be excused for thinking peace in Ukraine is just around the corner. This is fueled by a lot of wishful thinking both in Ukraine and abroad, but
Russian opposition leaders often present themselves as champions of freedom and democracy, and are often embraced as such by well-meaning but sometimes naive Western donors. However, a closer examination reveals that their advocacy largely revolves around maintaining Russia as a unified and powerful state. Far from being proponents of liberal
You probably haven't heard that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is preparing to send a mission to Russia. That’s because top IMF officials have been trying to draw as little public attention to their plans as possible – which ought to tell you something. Fund officials themselves know that this
Mongolia’s president welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin in the capital of Ulaanbaatar on Sept. 3 for an official ceremony commemorating a Soviet-Mongolian military victory during World War II. While Putin has attended such ceremonies regularly over the years, the key difference this time was that he traveled to an
The following lecture was delivered in March 2023 at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy as part of a benefit conference to raise funds to support public outreach at Kyiv Mohyla Academy. The topic of my speech is: What is it like thinking
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has led to a resurgence in state predation against businesses, now approaching pre-EuroMaidan levels. This issue cannot be postponed until after the war. Politicized, predatory actions by law enforcement agencies against both domestic and foreign businesses pose a significant threat to
A film about Russian soldiers taking part in the war against Ukraine was recently presented at the Venice Film Festival. The film portrays ordinary people who care about their families, joke, and have doubts, fears, and dreams. Some fight to avenge a fallen comrade, some just to make money, while
Maxwell Kushnir is a research analyst at the IMF. The contents of this article do not represent the views of any entity associated with the IMF, including staff, management or members of the Executive Board. Only publicly available data is used. Russia’s invasion has caused untold devastation across Ukraine,
After two and a half years of brutal aggression and growing evidence of war crimes committed by Russian soldiers, some people abroad still cling to the hope that the reality of what’s happening in Ukraine isn't as grim as it seems: a nation of nearly 150 million people can’
Following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race and Vice President Kamala Harris’ ascension to the top of the Democratic ticket, a crucial question emerges: How would Harris’ foreign policy depart from Biden’s? Biden entered the White House as the most experienced and knowledgeable foreign-policy president
Ukraine’s bold incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast gives the country a much-needed breakthrough on the battlefield, and represents yet another setback for the Kremlin. Yet the operation is not a military game-changer. Even as Ukrainian forces have occupied more than 400 square miles (over 1,000 square kilometers)
