Most popular
watch us on facebook
Ukraine

Ukraine’s military expects massive arms supplies as Russia’s war deteriorates
On the eve of the third Ramstein summit, a meeting of over 40 nations backing Ukraine in Russia’s invasion, Kyiv is crying out for more weapons and munitions -- and says the West is failing to send enough assistance on time. Russia’s grand offensive operation in Donbas, ongoing

How Western heavy weaponry can make a difference in the war in Ukraine
“Artillery sweat saves infantry blood.” The Ukrainian military has this saying for a reason. It has been weeks since Ukraine began to ask desperately for heavy western weaponry, particularly advanced tubed and rocket artillery, as part of an effort to turn the tide of Russia’s invasion, which is not

Andriy Zagorodnyuk: ‘Those who say Ukraine can’t win don’t understand the situation'
A New York Times editorial article titled “The War in Ukraine Is Getting Complicated, and America Isn’t Ready,” published on May 19, immediately triggered a stir in Ukraine and beyond. Coming from a media outlet that has the reputation of being supportive of U.S. assistance to Ukraine against

Russia’s offensive in Donbas bogs down
The Battle of Donbas is raging high, but it’s not going the way Russia wanted it to. Almost 20 days in, the much-anticipated and feared grand offensive falls short of expectations. It is still not even close to achieving its ultimate goal — the encircling and crippling of the core

Kharkiv residents under fire: ‘I hear some shelling every hour’
Even after a Russian missile blew up Kharkiv’s city hall and the central square on March 1, Oleksandr Zuiev didn’t want to leave his hometown. Zuiev, 46, didn’t believe Russian forces would target civilians and never expected his own apartment to come under fire. “I was wrong,

Historic loss of flagship deals humiliating blow to Russia's naval power
The Russian-Ukrainian war has produced yet another hallmark event in the history of warfare. On April 14, after 49 days of Russia’s all-out war, Ukraine inflicted a devastating blow upon the Kremlin’s pride and the symbol of its naval power in the Black Sea. Missile cruiser Moskva, the

Chief pilot of destroyed An-225: ‘We must complete the second Mriya’
HOSTOMEL, Kyiv Oblast — Like so many pilots across the world, Dmytro Antonov, the crew commander of the Antonov An-225 Mriya aircraft, has his own little pre-flight rituals. The world’s biggest and strongest cargo airplane, the master of many flight records, Mriya required special reverence. It had its own spirit

New phase in war opens up as Ukraine defeats Russia in battle of Kyiv
The battle of Kyiv is over, with Ukraine as its victor. After nearly 40 days of fierce hostilities, by April 1 Russian forces had withdrawn from battlefields in northern Ukraine within just days. Despite a massive effort, Russia failed to encircle the Ukrainian capital and install a blockade. After sustaining

Foreign volunteers help fight Russia in Irpin
Irpin, Kyiv Oblast -- The urban ruins of the Battle of Kyiv contain many secrets. Irpin, a town just northwest of Ukraine’s capital, a battlefield of ruined homes, charred streets and broken glass, now seems forsaken in a lull. But beneath the debris is a living and buzzing underworld.

Ukraine’s unofficial western capital Lviv is calm but prepares for war
LVIV – At first glance, the city of Lviv seems almost normal. In sharp contrast with war-torn parts of Ukraine, the western regional capital is bustling with life. People are walking down the cobbled streets in its downtown area and eating out in the city’s famous vibrant restaurants and cafes.

Western Ukraine loosens alcohol ban, Lviv says ‘no, thank you’
LVIV – Days after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, local authorities started banning all alcohol sales. The measure is part of martial law. Although it was imposed on the nationwide level, it leaves local authorities the right to decide on the alcohol sales ban. By early March,

How Ukraine swaps living soldiers for dead Russians
RUSANIV, Kyiv Oblast — Ukrainian emergency response workers dig into the fresh soil by a riverbank. “Careful,” they tell each other. “Just like that. Remove the upper layer bit by bit.” Every strike of the spade unearths new items in the moist dirt. Parts of cloth tatters, boot bottoms, traces of

300,000 people trapped in besieged Mariupol face living hell
When Mariupol journalist Artem Popov speaks about his hometown, it sounds like he has a lump in his throat. The southeastern city of Mariupol has turned into a front line of Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine. It’s dangerous to move around the city because Russian warplanes are flying

Oksana Bashuk Hepburn: Why is Putin still in charge of the West’s agenda?
It’s infuriating that Russia’s serial killer, autocrat Vladimir Putin, is telling Western powers what they should be doing. What is worst, they are listening. The war-crime nominee has launched an incomprehensible war on global democracies by attacking Ukraine for no reason other than he thinks that he can

Glen Grant: Ukraine stands firm despite Russian offensive
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors. The Kyiv Independent is reposting it with permission. Against all the odds, Ukraine has won this war militarily. It has won because it has fought bravely and skillfully and now there is nothing Russia can

Amid fierce defense, Ukraine foils Russian blitz victory plans
More than 72 hours after the start of the all-out invasion on Feb. 24, Russia has failed to inflict a quick defeat to Ukraine’s armed forces or gain a foothold in any of the country’s key cities. As of Feb. 27, all the biggest cities – Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv,
Editors' Picks

Timothy Snyder: If you want peace, Crimea has to be a part of Ukraine

New brigade bears heavy brunt of Russia’s onslaught in Kharkiv Oblast

Inching forward in Bakhmut counteroffensive, Ukraine’s hardened units look ahead to long, grim war
