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Belgorod incursion: Meet the anti-Kremlin militia behind the attack inside Russia
Editor's Note: The Kyiv Independent, together with a number of journalists, was taken to a location in northern Ukraine to interview the members of the units that took part in the military operation inside Russia. Not revealing the exact location was the only precondition for the interview. Northern Ukraine – At
Editorial: Today's Russia is fascist. It’s time to start calling it that
Editor’s Note: Editorials are articles that present the opinion of the editorial team of the Kyiv Independent. “We went and killed everyone. There were women, men, seniors, and children.” These were the words of Azamat Uldarov, an ex-fighter of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group who personally admitted to shooting
Putin claims he delayed full-scale invasion of Ukraine over economic, military factors
Speaking on Russian state television on March 19, Putin laid out the reasons why, according to him, Russia didn't go for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2014, when it invaded Crimea and started a war in the eastern Donbas region.
Putin: Russia suspends participation in nuclear treaty with US
Russia has suspended its participation in the New START treaty, said Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in a speech to the Federal Assembly and members of the Russian political elite on Feb. 21. The nuclear arms reduction treaty between the U.S. and Russia was signed in 2010 in Prague. The
Investigative Stories from Ukraine: Russia's state censor to track Putin memes with help of AI
Welcome to Investigative Stories from Ukraine, the Kyiv Independent's newsletter that walks you through the most prominent Ukrainian and Ukraine-focused investigations of the past week. If you are fond of in-depth journalism that exposes war crimes, corruption and abuse of power across state organizations in Ukraine and beyond, subscribe to
Even after sanctions, Russian economy can pay for war
The Russian economy has faced unprecedented sanctions since the Kremlin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. The latest events – the West's embargo on seaborn oil and price cap on Russian oil sales worldwide – are seen as a blow to the Russian economy, whose backbone is the energy
Russian hawks criticize regime's war effort as Putin raises stakes
Since launching the full-scale war against Ukraine, hardliners became the backbone of Vladimir Putin's regime. Russian officials, propagandists, and "military experts" have all been actively promoting Russia's land grab. Yet, the Kremlin's defeat in Kharkiv Oblast turned Russia's pro-war camp against its leader. Now, it looks like the Russian president
Oksana Bashuk Hepburn: Winners and losers of Russia’s war
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
A coup against Putin: Wishful thinking or a real possibility?
Ukrainian intelligence has claimed that a coup is being prepared against Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Although such intelligence claims may be dubious, analysts can assess the possibility of a coup d’etat by taking into account the economic and political situation in Russia. Some of them argue that a coup
Andriy Shevchenko: Putin won't stop at Ukraine
To all our friends in the West: We know that you want to postpone a possible direct engagement, a direct war with the Russians… I’d like to be wrong, but I think it’s quite obvious that the direction we are heading in… is a direct war and direct
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
Francis M. O’Donnell: UN must impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine
Many struggle to understand world powers’ refusal to enforce a no-fly zone (NFZ), at least on the western rest of Ukraine not (yet) occupied by Russia. It has been repeatedly requested by its legitimate democratically elected President Volodymyr Zelensky for the whole of this sovereign independent and democratic country, itself
10 days of suffering. Russia's war against Ukraine in photos
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he called "a special military operation" against Ukraine on Feb. 24, de facto declaring war on the country. Putin claimed to have “no ill intentions towards neighboring countries” and denied firing missiles on civil infrastructure during what he called a campaign to “disarm and
Ukrainian loses parent to Russian propaganda: 'I can consider myself an orphan'
“I woke up from a call from a friend. He told me Russia was bombing Kyiv," says Artem Basistiy, a 29-year-old from Crimea, who had lived in Kyiv for the last four years. "Then I heard a siren going off, quickly grabbed the dog, and ran to the shelter. After
What will the invasion of Ukraine bring for Russia?
The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing economic crisis caused by Western sanctions have already transformed Russia. The country's economy is expected to shrink by 20% in the second quarter and by around 3.5% for the full year following intensified sanctions, JPMorgan said on Feb. 28. However, analysts
Sergey Fursa: These sanctions need to be imposed against Russia immediately
Ukrainian bankers, analysts and economists have joined forces to develop a list of sanctions that have not yet been introduced, but could substantially hit Russia and force Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to retreat. Of course, these measures could hurt not only Russians, but also the economies of the collective West.
Editors' Picks
War from above: A day with drone unit defending Ukraine's south
‘I work, then I cry’: Exhausted medics near Bakhmut fight for every life
Ukraine war latest: Japanese PM visits Kyiv; US to speed up Patriot, Abrams delivery
Ukraine war latest: Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Mariinka under heavy fire
Belarus Weekly: European Parliament resolution urges more sanctions against Belarus
Ukrainian State-Owned Enterprises Weekly – Issue 80
