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A man in a military uniform checks his mobile phone on a street in Moscow, Russia, on May 6, 2026.
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Why Moscow is afraid this Victory Day

by Karol Luczka

On May 9, Moscow will stage its annual Victory Day parade marking the end of World War II in Europe — but this year, the spectacle is notable not for its grandeur, but for what's missing. For the first time in Vladimir Putin's Russia, no missiles, tanks, or armored vehicles are expected to appear in Saturday's Red Square parade. Although the Kremlin offered no explanation for the dramatic scale-back, recent Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russian territory have suggested that even Putin's militar

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Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones strike Russian gas facility over 1,500 kilometers from border, Zelensky says

Key developments on May 12: * Ukrainian drones strike Russian gas facility over 1,500 kilometers from border, Zelensky says * Ukraine strikes Russian targets in occupied Donetsk Oblast after renewed attacks, military says * New Russia sanctions feature individuals exposed in Kyiv Independent documentary * Russian attacks kill 4 civilians, injure 27 after Victory Day ceasefire ends Ukrainian drones attacked a gas industry facility in Russia's Orenburg Oblast on May 12, targeting a site more

Investors have been wrong about Ukraine before, but shouldn't be again

I have had the same conversation about investing in Ukraine over 50 times since 2022, and the excuse keeps evolving into every possible variation. Four years ago, the reason not to invest in Ukraine was the war. Two years ago, it was the war plus worries about Western support. But then, Ukrainian defense tech did something inconvenient for all these excuses — it scaled to levels few could have predicted. Those who don't follow the space are shocked by how vibrant Ukraine's startup market has b

Amid political turmoil at home, UK remains 'resolutely behind Ukraine,' minister tells Kyiv Independent

The U.K's governing Labour Party suffered losses in the country's May 7 local elections, which are leading to calls for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign, but Ukrainians should not worry about continued support, Europe Minister Stephen Doughty told the Kyiv Independent in an interview in Brussels just after the government announced a fresh package of support. "I have a very clear message of reassurance, which is that the British public remains resolutely behind Ukraine, and as does the main

Minister of State of the United Kingdom for Europe and North America Stephen Doughty in Antalya, Turkiye, on April 12, 2025.

About Russia

The Kyiv Independent’s coverage of news on Russia. Spanning eleven time zones across Eastern Europe and Asia, Russia has an estimated population of 146 million people. Russia’s capital city is Moscow, which is home to almost one in 10 Russians. Russia’s official currency is the Russian Ruble.

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Analysis: Is Ukraine starting to win the war again?

Ukrainian recruits at a training center in an undisclosed location in Ukraine on March 27, 2026.

Who is winning? Since the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the information space around the war has been obsessed with this deceptively simple question, and the constant new iterations of answers to it. In the hands of those fighting the narrative war, from officials on both sides, online cheerleaders, armchair generals, and a certain world leader who likes to talk about who has the cards, the answers differ radically, but all are delivered with consistent venom, emotion, and

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