Who can comment

Commenting on articles is available only to our community members, who support us with monthly or annual contributions. To join the discussions, become a member or log in to your account if you are already a member. If you are a member on Patreon, reach out to us at community@kyivindependent.com to receive commenting access.

We want our comment section to be a space for civil, high-quality discussion — where our content sparks an exchange of views between our members and our journalists. As the Kyiv Independent serves a diverse, global community, we ask everyone to keep conversations respectful and constructive.

Commenting rules

By participating in the conversation, you agree to follow our community rules:

Treat everyone with respect

Engage with community members and the Kyiv Independent team with respect. Personal attacks, intimidation, harassment, and/or abusive behavior are not acceptable. This includes comments that incite hatred or discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, age, disability, or any other characteristic. Aggressive, offensive, or insulting comments will be removed, and repeated violations may result in a ban from the comment section.

Keep content appropriate

Do not post explicit, graphic, violent, or otherwise inappropriate content. This includes pornographic material, unsolicited ads, and links to irrelevant external content. Such comments are automatically moderated and will not be published.

Stay on topic

Some discussions naturally expand, but comments that are irrelevant, vague, or disruptive may be moderated.

No spam or self-promotion

Do not post comments that are commercial, self-promotional, or repetitive across multiple articles. Such comments will be removed.

Do not spread disinformation

Do not share false, misleading, or unverified information. Accuracy is at the heart of our journalism, and we hold our community to the same standard.

Protect personal information

Avoid sharing sensitive or personal details about yourself or others.

Please also note that the name in your account will appear publicly with your comments. While using a real or recognizable name can help build trust in discussions, you are welcome to use a nickname or only your first or last name if you prefer to remain anonymous. Names intended to impersonate or target others may result in suspension of commenting access.

Moderation and Restrictions

How we handle violations

Comments that do not follow these guidelines will be moderated or removed. First-time violations will result in a notification to the commenter. Repeated violations may lead to a 14-day suspension from the comment section. If violations continue after the suspension, commenting access may be permanently removed. Neither suspension nor a permanent ban affects any other membership benefits.

How to report a comment

If you come across a comment that goes against these guidelines, please report it at community@kyivindependent.com and our community managers will look into it.

For questions about moderation, please email us at community@kyivindependent.com rather than posting in the comments.

Get in touch

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to us at community@kyivindependent.com.