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Last Notes

2026-03-26 03:13:28 UTC

⚡️Ukrainian drones attack major oil and gas facilities in Russia's Leningrad Oblast for second night in row.
The Kirishi oil refinery and Ust-Luga port in Russia's Leningrad Oblast came under fire during an overnight drone attack on March 26, according to Russian officials and social media channels.
The reported strikes come one night after Ukraine launched a mass attack against the same region, hitting a Novatek LNG terminal in Ust-Luga and a Russian military icebreaker in the port of Vyborg.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-attack-major-energy-facilities-in-russias-leningrad-oblast-for-second-night-in-a-row/

2026-03-16 13:36:16 UTC

⚡️ Without a hint of irony, Russia mocks US for 'miscalculating' Iran war.
"If they thought they could subjugate (Iran) in a day or a few hours, they probably realize now just how seriously they miscalculated," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/russia-scoffs-at-us-israeli-iran-miscalculation/

2026-03-06 21:29:23 UTC

⚡️Update: White House responds to reports that Russia is helping Iran target US forces in Middle East.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed concerns about the reports in an interview with Fox News on March 6.
"Whether or not this happened, frankly, it does not really matter, because President Trump and the United States military are absolutely decimating the rogue Iranian terrorist regime," Leavitt said.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/russia-reportedly-provides-iran-intelligence/

2026-02-12 14:38:53 UTC

⚡️️Update: Ukraine awards Order of Freedom to athlete disqualified over 'memorial helmet' at Olympics.
President Volodymyr Zelensky awarded Vladyslav Heraskevych the Order of Freedom on Feb. 12, after the skeleton racer was disqualified from the 2026 Olympics for using a custom helmet depicting Ukrainian athletes killed during Russia's full-scale war.
"Sport shouldn’t mean amnesia, and the Olympic movement should help stop wars, not play into the hands of aggressors," the president said. "(The IOC's decision) is certainly not about the principles of Olympism, which are founded on fairness and the support of peace."
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-skeleton-racer-disqualified-at-olympics-for-helmet-honoring-athletes-killed-in-russias-war/

2026-02-05 20:48:33 UTC

Epstein’s Russia connections, explained
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk became the first high-ranking official to ask the question on everyone’s mind — Was convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein working with Russia?
He added that Poland would investigate possible links between Epstein and Russian intelligence services.
The latest batch of Epstein-related documents, released on Jan. 30, mentions Russia 5,876 times and Russian President Vladimir Putin 1,055 times.
Photo: Photo, Emails: United States Department of Justice; Collage: The Kyiv Independent.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/was-jeffrey-epstein-a-russian-asset-inside-his-extensive-ties-to-putins-inner-circle/
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2026-02-04 19:03:12 UTC

EU agrees details on 90 billion euro lifeline to Ukraine
European ambassadors reached an agreement on the details of a 90 billion euro loan ($107 billion) for Ukraine, the European Council said in a press release on Feb. 4.
EU leaders agreed on the so-called Ukraine Support Loan at a summit in December 2025, in response to a gaping hole in Ukraine’s finances as Russia’s full-scale invasion approaches its fifth year.
Photo: Olena Zashko/The Kyiv Independent.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/eu-agrees-details-on-90-billion-euro-lifeline-to-ukraine/
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2026-01-17 16:26:39 UTC

⚡️ Russia seeks to disconnect Ukraine's nuclear power plants, HUR says, risking potential meltdown.
Disconnecting Ukraine's nuclear power plants would fully cut off electricity and heating in subzero temperatures.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-faces-potential-meltdown-as-russia-seeks-to-disconnect-nuclear-plants/

2025-11-20 12:23:36 UTC

Why I won’t encourage my Ukrainian child to speak Russian
“I can no longer see the Russian language as neutral during the full-scale war in this climate of constant threat. It is a weapon of soft power, an advance guard of influence that moves in long before their tanks,” writes Kate Tsurkan, a reporter at the Kyiv Independent, in this op-ed.
Photo: Roman Pilipey / Getty Images.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/why-i-wont-encourage-my-ukrainian-child-to-speak-russian/
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2025-11-20 11:59:06 UTC

⚡️ 22 people still missing in Ternopil after devastating Russian missile strike, 26 already confirmed dead.
Rescue efforts have extended into their second day.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/rescue-efforts-continue-for-second-day-after-russian-strike-in-western-ternopil-22-remain-26-killed/

2025-11-12 12:44:38 UTC

⚡️ Russian army redeploys forces near Pokrovsk amid reported reserve shortage, partisans say.
The newly arrived troops are reportedly being sent straight into assault operations, sometimes without even being formally registered.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-update-2025-11-12/

2025-11-10 19:10:49 UTC

The cost of war: Is Russia running out of money to continue the fight?
“To keep (Russia’s) military machine running like this, a lot more money is needed — and there simply is not any,” Milov, who was an economic advisor for the Russian government in the early 2000s, told the Kyiv Independent.
The Kyiv Independent looked into the Russian budget draft to see if Russia is ultimately running out of money to feed into its war machine.
Photo: Milanchikov/Getty Images.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/the-cost-of-war-is-russia-running-out-of-money-to-fight-its-war/
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2025-10-20 14:24:22 UTC

⚡️ Spanish airport temporarily halts flights over suspicious drone sighting.
The news follows a string of similar cases across Europe in recent weeks, which have already caused air traffic disruptions in Germany, Norway, and Denmark.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/spanish-airport-temporarily-halts-operations-over-suspicious-drone-sightings/

2025-09-28 16:16:30 UTC

Trump backs shooting Russian jets as provocations rise | Ukraine This Week
In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur covers U.S. President Donald Trump’s shift in rhetoric after meeting President Volodymyr Zelensky in New York, including his support for NATO allies shooting down Russian jets entering the alliance's airspace. She also reports on Zelensky’s warning to the United Nations and Russia’s revival of the Soviet-era Intervision Song Contest as an alternative to Eurovision.
🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZjyVeQTjp0
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2025-09-15 16:40:11 UTC

⚡️EU completes final screening round in Ukraine accession talks.
The European Union and Ukraine have completed the final screening meetings for Chapter 11 of accession negotiations, focused on "Agriculture and Rural Development."
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/eu-completes-final-screening-round-in-ukraine-accession-talks/

2025-09-13 00:52:54 UTC

⚡️Russian offensive in Sumy Oblast 'completely thwarted,' Zelensky says.
"As of today, we can state that the Russian offensive operation on Sumy has been completely thwarted by our forces," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sept. 12, citing front-line reports from Commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/russian-offensive-in-sumy-oblast-completely-thwarted-zelensky-says/

2025-09-01 10:12:09 UTC

⚡️ Suspected Russian jamming hits von der Leyen's plane over Bulgaria, FT reports.
Suspected Russian interference forced European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's plane to land in Bulgaria using paper maps, the Financial Times reported on Sept. 1, citing three undisclosed officials.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/suspected-russian-jamming-hits-von-der-leyens-plane-ft-reports/

2025-07-16 15:56:14 UTC

Ukraine's new ground drones are hitting the battlefield in ever-increasing numbers
Ukraine's use of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) has accelerated in recent months, a development experts say could help ease pressure on infantry as Kyiv struggles with ongoing recruitment problems and losses.
Developments have come thick and fast since and just last week Ukrainian forces for the first time captured Russian troops without the use of infantry, relying solely on drones and ground-based robotic systems.
Photo: Mykhaylo Palinchak / SOPA Images
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-approves-new-ground-robots-to-relieve-infantry-strained-by-mobilization-crisis/
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2025-07-03 19:19:05 UTC

‘Not many events like this left’ — A Ukrainian literary festival in a city falsely claimed by Russia
Meridian Czernowitz has hosted literary festivals across Ukraine since 2010, and on June 28-29, it hosted its third annual event held in the oblast's regional capital of Zaporizhzhia.
More than 150 attendees listened attentively to works about grief, war crimes, love, and the beauty of nature, cheering the authors with standing ovations and waiting in line while clutching stacks of books for them to sign.
Photo: Danylo Martynov / Meridian Czernowitz / Facebook
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/not-many-events-like-this-left-a-ukrainian-literary-festival-in-a-city-falsely-claimed-by-russia/
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2025-07-02 19:29:58 UTC

'Major casualties among civilians' — US freeze on air defense missiles is terrible news for Ukraine
The halting of deliveries of air defense missiles from the U.S. will lead to“major casualties among civilians,” a deputy commander in Ukraine’s air defense told the Kyiv Independent.
Politico reported on July 1 that the U.S. Defense Department (DOD) had halted shipments of some weapons previously promised to Kyiv out of concerns over the size of U.S. stockpiles, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The aid in question included several pieces of U.S. weaponry that have been critical to Ukraine’s ability to conduct the war.
Photo: Andrew Kravchenko / Bloomberg via Getty Images
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/major-casualties-among-civilians-the-us-freeze-on-air-defense-missiles-is-terrible-news-for-ukraine/
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2025-05-28 17:50:08 UTC

⚡️11 more Ukrainian Children rescued from Russian-occupied territories, Yermak's advisor says.
Among those rescued is a young girl whose mother and brother, both defenders of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, spent more than three years in Russian captivity.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/11-more-ukrainian-children-rescued-from-russian-occupied-territories-yermaks-advisor-says/

2025-05-04 11:58:50 UTC

⚡️ Ukraine reportedly attacks Russian Strela electromechanical plant in Bryansk Oblast.
The Strela plant, located in Suzemka near the Ukrainian border, produces radar equipment, transformers, chokes, and other electronics for Russia's defense, aerospace, and electronics industries.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-reportedly-strikes-russian-strela-electromechanical-plant-in-bryansk-oblast/

2025-04-26 12:10:07 UTC

Russia attacked Chornobyl Nuclear Plant in February, damaging confinement. Can it be fully restored?
The confinement over the fourth nuclear reactor at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant has not been functioning properly as a protective shield for almost three months.
On Feb. 14, on the day of the Munich Security Conference, a Russian drone hit the structure over the nuclear facility, creating a 15-meter hole and jeopardizing atomic safety in Europe. The restoration of the facility, which cost nearly $2.3 billion to build, could take months, if not years.
Photo: Dimitar Diloff/AFP via Getty Images
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/russia-attacked-chornobyl-nuclear-plant-in-february-damaging-confinement-can-it-be-fully-restored/
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2025-04-24 18:16:28 UTC

'Impossible to believe' — in Kyiv, Trump's stance on Russia stuns after yet another deadly attack
U.S. President Donald Trump has once again failed to condemn his Russian counterpart in the aftermath of yet another devastating missile attack on Ukraine, casting further doubt on Washington's ability to fairly broker a peace in the country.
At the scene of one of the residential buildings devastated in last night's attack, the Kyiv Independent asked some of the survivors if they thought the Trump administration was actually provoking such attacks by taking such a soft stance toward Russia.
Photo: Andrew Kravchenko/Bloomberg via Getty Images
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/impossible-to-believe-in-kyiv-trumps-stance-on-russia-stuns-after-yet-another-deadly-attack/
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2025-04-17 08:10:39 UTC

⚡️ Trump's DC attorney pick made over 150 appearances on Kremlin propaganda outlets.
U.S. President Donald Trump's candidate for U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Ed Martin, frequently offered views on RT and Sputnik that aligned with Kremlin narratives, including echoing Moscow's grievances about NATO and the war against Ukraine.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/trumps-dc-attorney-pick-made-over-150-appearances-on-kremlin-media/

2025-04-15 12:43:52 UTC

⚡️ EU readies 'plan B' for bypassing Hungary's Russia sanctions veto, RFE/RL reports.
EU legal experts are exploring a potential method of preventing Hungary from derailing the extension of sanctions imposed on Russia this July, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported on April 15.
The EU sanctions consist of two documents adopted one after another: a decision and a regulation. While a regulation must by extended by all 27 members every six months, a decision remains in force until a qualified majority repeals it, RFE/RL wrote.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/eu-considering-loophole-for-bypassing-hungarys-russia-sanctions-veto-rfe-rl-reports/

2025-04-15 11:38:50 UTC

Who was Pavlo Petrychenko, the prominent activist recently killed in combat?¹
Today marks the one-year anniversary of the death of Pavlo Petrychenko, a Ukrainian activist-turned-soldier who was killed in combat in Donetsk Oblast just a day before his 32nd birthday.
In his battle for Ukraine's future, Petrychenko used not only weapons but also his voice.
Read our full tribute here.²
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¹ https://kyivindependent.com/who-was-pavlo-petrychenko-prominent-activist-killed-in-combat/
² https://kyivindependent.com/who-was-pavlo-petrychenko-prominent-activist-killed-in-combat/
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2025-04-11 12:11:33 UTC

'With honor and weapon in hand' — artist Marharyta Polovinko killed on front line defending Ukraine¹
A rising star in Ukraine's contemporary art scene, Marharyta Polovinko made the decision to enlist in late 2024, channeling the same passion that drove her art into the defense of her country.
On April 5, at just 31, Polovinko was killed in the Kharkiv direction of the front. She is mourned by those who fought beside her in the 2nd Mechanized Battalion of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade and by those who knew her as an artist whose creative voice was just coming into its own.
Read our full tribute here.²
Photo: Marharyta Polovinko / Instagram
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¹ https://kyivindependent.com/with-honor-and-weapon-in-hand-artist-marharyta-polovinko-killed-on-front-line-defending-ukraine/
² https://kyivindependent.com/with-honor-and-weapon-in-hand-artist-marharyta-polovinko-killed-on-front-line-defending-ukraine/
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2025-04-11 08:55:26 UTC

⚡️ Germany announces new military aid for Ukraine, including air defenses, tanks, shells.
Germany will provide four IRIS-T air defense systems, 15 Leopard 1 tanks, reconnaissance drones, and 100,000 artillery rounds to Ukraine as part of a new military aid package, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced on April 11, according to N-tv.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/germany-announces-new-military-aid-for-ukraine-including-4-iris-t-systems-tanks-shells/

2025-04-06 16:15:01 UTC

⚡️'Shoot them' — Russian commander ordered troops to open fire on their comrades, intercepted call suggests.
Intercepted calls released by Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) suggest a Russian commander losing his temper and ordering his soldiers to shoot at their own comrades in a neighboring unit.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/intercepted-calls-suggest-a-russian-commander-ordering-to-shoot-ones-own/

2025-03-31 11:05:10 UTC

⚡️Update: Le Pen barred from running for office for 5 years, sentenced to 4 years in prison.
A French court banned Marine Le Pen from running for office for five years, seemingly scuttling her hopes of running for president in 2027.
She was also sentenced to four years in prison, with two years suspended.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/french-court-finds-far-right-leader-le-pen-guilty-of-embezzling-european-parliament-funds/

2025-03-31 07:46:03 UTC

⚡️CNN gives airtime to Russian ultranationalist ideologue who called for genocide in Ukraine.
In an interview with CNN, ultra-nationalist Russian ideologue Alexander Dugin praised U.S. President Donald Trump, saying he represented an ideology that "changes the balance in the world."
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/cnn-gives-airtime-to-putins-ideologue-who-called-for-genocide-in-ukraine/

2025-03-26 11:06:30 UTC

⚡️ '117 proofs in our skies' — Zelensky says overnight drone strike shows Moscow not ready for peace.
"Last night, there were another 117 proofs in our skies of how Russia continues to drag out this war – 117 strike drones, most of them Shaheds," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Photo: Governor Serhii Lysak/Telegram
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-says-overnight-drone-strike-proves-moscow-not-ready-for-peace/
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2025-03-20 09:40:53 UTC

⚡️ EU provides $1 billion in aid to Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets.
The European Commission has disbursed an additional 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) to Ukraine, to be repaid with proceeds from frozen Russian assets, the commission announced on March 20.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/european-commission-provides-1-billion-in-aid-to-ukraine-backed-by-frozen-russian-assets/

2025-03-08 22:29:11 UTC

⚡️Large fire affecting critical infrastructure reported in Zaporizhzhia Oblast following Russian drone attack.
A large fire erupted at a critical infrastructure facility in Zaporizhzhia Oblast following a Russian drone attack, regional Governor Ivan Federov said on March 8.
As a result of the strike, gas supplies have been limited in the region, Federov added.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/large-fire-affecting-critical-infrastructure-reported-in-zaporizhzhia-oblast-following-russian-drone-attack/

2025-03-08 18:06:04 UTC

'Miniature universes:' The personal spaces ¹of women at war (Photos)
Photographer Marysia Myanovska’s series “Zone of Seismic Activity” captures the role of women in Ukraine’s Armed Forces — where over 70,000 women now serve today — not only through the stark symbols of war, such as unexploded shells and combat uniforms, but also through intimate moments of daily life on the front lines. Her images challenge traditional narratives, revealing the unseen, the overlooked, and the undeniable presence of women in war.
On International Women’s Day, the Kyiv Independent presents excerpts from Myanovska’s photo series to show that Ukrainian women defending their country against Russian aggression are not only counted but seen.
Read more here.²
Photos: Marysia Myanovska
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¹ https://kyivindependent.com/beyond-the-battlefield-exploring-womens-personal-spaces-in-ukraines-war-photos/
² https://kyivindependent.com/beyond-the-battlefield-exploring-womens-personal-spaces-in-ukraines-war-photos/
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2025-03-06 06:45:40 UTC

⚡️Trump's team leads private talks with Zelensky's political rivals, Politico reports.
Trump's allies held talks with Yuliia Tymoshenko, a former prime minister and head of the opposition Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party, and high-ranking members of the European Solidarity party of ex-President Petro Poroshenko, Politico reported, citing sources.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/trumps-team-leads-private-talks-with-zelenskys-political-rivals-politico-reports/

2025-02-26 11:26:23 UTC

Hitler wanted to kill me because I'm Jewish. Putin wants to kill me because I'm Ukrainian¹
“A month ago, the German Bundestag commemorated the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. I had the opportunity to speak there as someone who lived through oppression, brutal violence, and endless suffering during World War II. I told them: (Adolf) Hitler wanted to kill me because I am Jewish. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin wants to kill me because I am Ukrainian.
You swore: ‘Never again.’ This ‘never again’ has arrived. If you are serious, you must support Ukraine differently than you have before. Even if you have already done a lot, we now need action,” writes Roman Shvartsman, the chairman of the Odesa Association of Jews, in his op-ed.
Read the full op-ed here.²
Photo: Nicolas Lobet / Valentyna Rostovikova (PRYZM)
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¹ https://kyivindependent.com/hitler-wanted-to-kill-me-because-im-jewish-putin-wants-to-kill-me-because-im-ukrainian/
² https://kyivindependent.com/hitler-wanted-to-kill-me-because-im-jewish-putin-wants-to-kill-me-because-im-ukrainian/
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2025-02-22 21:12:11 UTC

As Trump and Moscow align their vision, battle to stabilize Donetsk front rests on a knife edge
On the geopolitical front, the last frosty weeks of winter have brought with them chilling signs for Ukraine.
But as the world’s focus fixates on U.S. President Donald Trump and his alignment with Moscow’s war narrative, a desperate struggle to stabilize the Donetsk Oblast front line is continuing uninterrupted.
The Kyiv Independent spent two weeks in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove sectors of the front line, speaking to infantry and artillery commanders, medics, and drone pilots.
Photo: Francis Farrell/The Kyiv Independent
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/as-trump-and-moscow-align-their-vision-battle-to-stabilize-donetsk-front-rests-on-a-knife-edge/
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2025-02-06 23:26:40 UTC

⚡️Trump to lay off nearly all USAID staff worldwide, NYT reports.
The cuts will reduce the agency from 10,000 staff around the world to just 290, three sources with knowledge of the layoffs said.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/trump-to-lay-off-nearly-all-usaid-staff-worldwide-nyt-reports/

2025-01-29 21:30:09 UTC

⚡️Zelensky looks to domestic, EU funders for key projects amid US aid freeze.
Following an initial report into U.S.-funded projects affected by the freeze, Zelensky said the government was prioritizing the energy sector, military veterans, and border crossings.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-looks-to-domestic-eu-funders-for-key-projects-amid-us-aid-freeze/

2024-12-29 20:44:30 UTC

⚡16-year-old arrested in Russia over anti-government school poster.
A 16-year-old girl is in pre-trial detention in St. Petersburg for putting up posters of anti-establishment fighters on a bulletin board at her school, a local court announced on Dec. 29.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/16-year-old-arrested-in-russia-over-school-poster/

2024-12-29 20:07:30 UTC

Why is my life considered more important than a Ukrainian life?¹
It's time for the West to reckon with the fact that Ukrainian lives matter just as much as ours, writes British writer Ben Fletcher in his recent op-ed.
Read the full op-ed here. ²
Photo: Roman Pilipey / AFP via Getty Images
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¹ https://kyivindependent.com/opinion-why-is-my-life-considered-more-important-than-a-ukrainian-life/
² https://kyivindependent.com/opinion-why-is-my-life-considered-more-important-than-a-ukrainian-life/
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2024-12-29 13:02:11 UTC

⚡️ Russia must admit responsibility for Azerbaijani airliner crash, Azerbaijan’s president says.
Moscow must admit responsibility for the deadly crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane after it was hit by fire from the ground over Russia, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told the media.
Baku’s demands also include holding perpetrators criminally responsible and paying compensation to the Azerbaijani state and the affected passengers and crew members, Aliyev noted.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/aliyev-comments-on-airliner-crash/

2024-12-27 19:49:25 UTC

2024: Ukraine in photos
The Kyiv Independent partners up with the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers to look back at some of the most memorable moments for Ukrainians in 2024 in photos.
Photo: Danylo Pavlov/UAPP
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/2025-ukraine-in-photos/
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2024-12-26 08:49:29 UTC

⚡️ Russia's inflation hits year-high, driven by war spending, food price hikes, Rosstat says.
Inflation in Russia has reached its highest levels in nearly a year, driven by war spending and rising food prices, The Moscow Times reported on Dec. 25, citing Russia's Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat).
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/russias-inflation-hits-year-high-driven-by-war-spending-food-price-hikes-rosstat-says/

2024-12-26 02:54:49 UTC

⚡️Ukrainian poet and prose writer Oleksii Bezpaltsev killed in action.
Oleksii Bezpaltsev, a 34-year-old poet and prose writer from Kharkiv, was killed in action while performing a combat mission in Kharkiv Oblast, PEN Ukraine reported on Dec. 25.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-poet-and-prose-writer-oleksii-bezpaltsev-killed-in-action/

2024-12-26 00:50:43 UTC

⚡️Zelensky wishes Ukrainians peace and unity in third wartime Christmas address.
President Volodymyr Zelensky in his Christmas Eve address on Dec. 24 called for prayers for soldiers, prisoners, and those in occupied territories.
“All we need is to live peacefully on our land, to see the sun, our sky, and in it – the Christmas star, not Iranian drones and Russian missiles.”
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-wishes-ukrainians-peace-and-unity-in-third-wartime-christmas-address/

2024-12-25 22:17:18 UTC

⚡️Kellogg condemns Russia's mass attack against Ukraine on Christmas Day.
President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Ukraine peace envoy, Keith Kellogg, denounced Russia's mass attack on early Christmas morning, emphasizing that "Christmas should be a time of peace.”
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/kellogg-condemns-russias-mass-attack-against-ukraine-on-christmas-day/

2024-12-24 19:11:33 UTC

⚡️Ukraine receives first $1 billion as part of US batch of frozen Russian assets profits.
This is the first tranche of the planned $20 billion that the U.S. intends to provide as part of the G7 initiative.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-receives-first-1b-of-profits-from-frozen-russian-assets-from-the-u-s/

2024-12-23 12:01:51 UTC

⚡️ 'We don't have to grovel before a mass murderer' — Czechia blasts Fico over Moscow trip.
The Czech government’s decision to wean itself off from Russian energy ensured that "we don't have to grovel before a mass murderer," Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on Dec. 22, referring to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s visit to Moscow.
Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda also condemned Fico’s visit to the Kremlin. “How cheap is your love? There are those who come to Russia with love and feel gassed to meet a war criminal," Nauseda wrote.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/czechia-blasts-fico-over-moscow-trip/

2024-12-23 07:35:07 UTC

⚡️ Russia's threat to Europe 'much wider than we imagine,' Italian PM warns.
Russia’s threat to Europe extends beyond defense to illegal immigration and cybersecurity, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Dec. 22 during an international meeting in Finland.
"It's about our democracy, it's about influencing our public opinion, it's about what happens in Africa, it's about raw materials, it's about the instrumentalization of migration. We need to know it's a very wide idea of security," Meloni was quoted as saying by Reuters.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/russias-threat-to-europe-much-wider-than-we-imagine-italian-pm-warns/

2024-12-22 10:48:12 UTC

⚡️Air Force reports downing 52 Russian drones overnight.
The Air Force added that it lost track of 44 decoy drones that Russia launched alongside the real attack drones.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/air-force-reports-downing-52-russian-drones-overnight/

2024-12-22 00:25:52 UTC

⚡️Ukrainian boxer Usyk defeats Fury to retain heavyweight champion belt
Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk defeated U.K.-born Tyson Fury by unanimous decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Dec. 22 to retain his unified heavyweight championship title.
The victory, which all judges scored 116-112, comes amid a highly anticipated rematch of a bout that Usyk also won in May.
Following his victory, Usyk dedicated his victory to his mother, "and to all the mothers of Ukraine."
Photo: Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-boxer-usyk-defeats-fury-to-retain-heavyweight-champion-belt/
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2024-12-21 03:28:00 UTC

⚡️Over 12,000 civilians killed in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale war, UN says.
Over 12,340 civilians were killed and more than 27,836 were wounded in Ukraine between Feb. 24, 2022 and Nov. 30, 2024, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/over-12-000-civilians-killed-in-ukraine-since-russias-full-scale-war-un-says/

2024-12-20 13:30:34 UTC

⚡️Russian missile attack damages 6 foreign embassies in Kyiv, Foreign Ministry says.
A Russian missile attack on Kyiv damaged a number of foreign embassies on Dec. 20, Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi said at a briefing.
The embassies of Albania, Argentina, Palestine, North Macedonia, Portugal, and Montenegro are located in a building heavily damaged by the Russian strike.
Photos: Ukraine's Foreign Ministry
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/russian-missile-attack-damages-embassies/
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2024-12-20 11:25:23 UTC

⚡️Ukraine retrieves bodies of 503 fallen soldiers.
Ukraine has repatriated the bodies of 503 soldiers who died fighting against Russia, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of the Prisoners of War reported on Dec. 20.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-retrieves-bodies-of-503-fallen-soldiers/

2024-12-20 05:23:10 UTC

These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of Dec. 20, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
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2024-12-19 21:51:52 UTC

Ukraine war latest: Zelensky blasts Putin’s Oreshnik threats, calling him ‘dumbass’¹
At a press conference in Brussels on Dec. 19, President Volodymyr Zelensky blasted Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent threats of using the new Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) against Kyiv to test Western air defense systems in what he called a "high-tech duel" with the West.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 19 that American and European participation in possible peace negotiations with Russia is crucial while rejecting the idea of freezing the conflict.
Read the full report here. ²
Photo: John Thys / AFP via Getty Images
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¹ https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-zelensky-blasts-putins-oreshnik-threats-calling-him-dumbass/
² https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-zelensky-blasts-putins-oreshnik-threats-calling-him-dumbass/
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2024-12-19 13:54:33 UTC

⚡️ Ukraine's economy healthier that Russia's in some indicators, The Economist reports.
Ukraine's economy has adapted well to the realities of the full-scale war while Russia's economy faces increasingly unfavorable forecasts, The Economist wrote on Dec. 18.
Although Ukraine appears to be "winning the economic war against Russia," the outlet's analysis suggests that further development will depend on how Kyiv manages incoming challenges like workforce and resource shortages or Donald Trump's presidency.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-economy-healthier-that-russias-in-some-indicators-the-economist-reports/

2024-12-19 13:46:33 UTC

⚡️Putin claims Russia wasn't 'defeated' in Syria.
Moscow achieved its goals in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed during his annual press conference and a call-in program on Dec. 19. following the collapse of dictator Bashar al-Assad's regime.
"Everything what is happening in Syria is not a defeat for Russia," Putin said.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/putin-claims-russia-achieved-its-goals-in-syria/

2024-12-19 04:35:10 UTC

⚡️UK announces $283 million military aid package for Ukraine.
According to media reports, the package includes over 92 million pound ($115 million) in equipment to support Ukraine's navy, including small boats, as well as reconnaissance drones. A further 39 million pounds ($49 million) will be used to supply over 1,000 counter-drone electronic warfare systems.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/uk-announces-283-million-military-aid-package-for-ukraine/

2024-12-18 21:39:54 UTC

⚡️One of Russia's largest chemical plants reportedly attacked in Rostov Oblast.
The attack struck the Kamensky Combine, a chemical plant that produces rocket fuel for the Russian military, according to Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's counter-disinformation center.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/one-of-russias-largest-chemical-plants-reportedly-hit-in-attack-on-rostov-oblast/

2024-12-16 21:57:59 UTC

⚡️Estonia urges NATO allies to boost defense spending to counter Russian threat, Reuters reports.
"Everybody in NATO and in the EU right now has the feeling in their backbone that you should increase defense expenditure because of what is happening all over the world and with Russia," Estonia's Prime Minister Kristen Michal told Reuters.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/estonia-urges-nato-allies-to-boost-defense-spending-to-counter-russian-threat-reuters-reports/

2024-12-14 21:20:35 UTC

⚡️North Korean troops open fire on Russian unit, Ukraine's military intelligence claims.
North Korean soldiers killed eight members of the Chechen Akhmat unit in a "friendly fire" incident while fighting in Kursk Oblast, Ukraine's military intelligence agency reported on Dec. 14. The attack resulted from language barrier issues, the agency said.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/north-korean-troops-open-fire-on-russian-unit-ukraines-military-intelligence-claims/

2024-12-13 18:15:27 UTC

The West is pushing Ukraine¹ toward concessions that will backfire
“Albert Einstein, often credited as the father of the nuclear bomb, is alleged to have said, ‘The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.’ Let’s hope that those entering the seemingly inevitable negotiations with the world’s chief nuclear blackmailer keep those words in mind — and that they stop setting red lines where the only red is the blood of those who have died because of them,” writes Chatham House Associate Fellow Samantha de Bendern in her recent op-ed.
Read the full op-ed here.²
Photo: Julien De Rosa / AFP via Getty Images
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¹ https://kyivindependent.com/the-west-is-pushing-ukraine-toward-concessions-that-will-backfire/
² https://kyivindependent.com/the-west-is-pushing-ukraine-toward-concessions-that-will-backfire/
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2024-12-13 13:14:03 UTC

⚡️ Dutch Supreme Court dismisses Russia's appeal in Naftogaz's $5 billion arbitration case.
The Supreme Court of the Netherlands has rejected Russia's appeal against the Hague Arbitration Court's ruling requiring Moscow to pay $5 billion in damages to Naftogaz, the Ukrainian state-owned energy company said on Dec. 13.
Russia was ordered to pay the sum as compensation for misappropriated assets in occupied Crimea.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/dutch-court-upholds-5-billion-arbitration-ruling-naftogaz/

2024-12-13 12:52:02 UTC

⚡️ Italy willing to join potential peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, defense minister says.
Italy is willing to participate in a possible peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said on Dec. 12, according to the Ansa news agency.
"We are willing to play this role, a role in which we have always distinguished ourselves as a nation," Crosetto added.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/italy-open-to-peacekeeping-in-ukraine-minister/

2024-12-13 11:15:58 UTC

⚡️ Putin orders 'emergency support' for struggling Russian coal industry.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for urgent measures to support the country’s coal companies, which face multibillion-dollar losses and risk mass bankruptcies, The Moscow Times reported on Dec. 12.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/putin-orders-support-for-coal-industry/

2024-12-13 10:38:56 UTC

⚡️ Ukraine's new Ground Forces chief announces reforms focused on personnel, tech.
The newly appointed commander of Ukraine's Ground Forces, General Mykhailo Drapatyi, unveiled plans for fundamental reforms in the branch on Dec. 12, aiming to enhance its effectiveness on the battlefield.
The proposed changes include a revamped recruitment system with "zero tolerance for corruption," improved military training tailored to front-line needs, and integration of advanced technology into training and operational processes.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-new-ground-forces-commander-announces-major-reforms/

2024-12-13 06:35:45 UTC

⚡️ US announces visa bans on individuals for undermining Georgian democracy.
The U.S. State Department announced visa bans on approximately 20 Georgian individuals for undermining democracy in the country, according to the department’s statement on Dec. 12.
The ban will extend to Georgian ministers, parliament members, security officials, and private individuals.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/us-announces-visa-bans-on-individuals-for-undermining-georgian-democracy/

2024-12-12 19:26:17 UTC

⚡️ 301 Ukrainian women held in Russian captivity, rights group reports.
As of December 2024, 301 Ukrainian civilian women are in Russian captivity, with 25 detained before Russia's full-scale invasion and 276 taken since, according to Olha Skrypnyk, head of the Crimean Human Rights Group (CHRG), speaking on Dec. 11.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/301-ukrainian-women-held-in-russian-captivity-rights-group-reports/

2024-12-12 15:50:09 UTC

Spend With Ukraine wants to ‘build a better brand’ for the country¹
“There are all these creative businesses and nobody has the slightest idea they’re rooted in Ukraine,” said Andrey Klen, co-founder of pet tech company Petcube and co-creator of Spend With Ukraine, a website that promotes over 200 successful and reputable Ukrainian brands and services from tech companies to fashion brands.
Read more here. ²
Photo: Kostya Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images
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¹ https://kyivindependent.com/spend-with-ukraine-wants-to-build-a-better-brand-for-ukraine/
² https://kyivindependent.com/spend-with-ukraine-wants-to-build-a-better-brand-for-ukraine/
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2024-12-12 07:25:47 UTC

⚡️ US House passes 2025 defense spending bill without Ukraine lend-lease extension.
The $895 billion U.S. defense spending bill passed by the House of Representatives did not include a provision to extend the lend-lease act for Ukraine despite the efforts of Ukrainian diplomats, Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, said on Dec. 12.
The U.S. passed the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act in May 2022, but it expired in September 2023 without ever being used. Ukrainian diplomats have been lobbying for its reintroduction as it allows the U.S. president to loan or lease arms to Ukraine while cutting through congressional red tape.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/us-house-passes-2025-defense-budget-without-ukraine-lend-lease-extension/

2024-12-11 23:03:26 UTC

⚡️Austrian OMV company terminates contract with Gazprom Export.
Austrian oil and gas company OMV has terminated its long-term gas supply contract with Russia's Gazprom Export, the OMV website reported on Dec. 11.
The contract was originally set to last until 2040.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/austrian-omv-company-terminates-contract-with-gazprom-export/

2024-12-10 00:46:30 UTC

⚡️5 Ukrainian children return home from Russia, Russian-occupied territories.
Ukraine successfully returned five children from Russia and Russian-occupied territories as part of the "Bring Kids Back UA" initiative, Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak announced early on Dec. 10.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/5-ukrainian-children-return-home-from-russia-russian-occupied-territories/

2024-12-09 06:50:07 UTC

⚡️ Russia was unable to save Assad regime due to losses in Ukraine, Biden says.
"Additionally, Russia's support for Assad also failed. And that's because Ukraine, backed by our American allies, has put up a wall of resistance against invading Russian forces, inflicting massive damage on the Russian forces," U.S. President Joe Biden said on Dec. 8.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/biden-russia-syria/

2024-12-09 02:03:28 UTC

⚡️Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina posthumously receives Prix Voltaire Special Award.
Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina was posthumously honored on Dec. 6 with the Prix Voltaire Special Award at the 34th International Publishers Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, PEN Ukraine reported.
Amelina, who documented war crimes and authored several notable works, was killed in 2023 following a Russian missile strike on Kramatorsk.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-writer-victoria-amelina-posthumously-receives-prix-voltaire-special-award/

2024-12-06 15:23:07 UTC

⚡️ Romanian constitutional court annuls results of presidential election's first round.
The Romanian Constitutional Court annulled the results of the first round of the presidential election, which had been led by anti-NATO, pro-Russian independent candidate Calin Georgescu, Digi24 reported on Dec. 6.
The Constitutional Court judges overturned the results after reviewing newly declassified documents from the Romanian Supreme National Defense Council.
According to the documents, Georgescu's campaign was “the result of organized manipulation from abroad.”
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/constitutional-court-annuls-results-of-1st-round-of-presidential-election-in-romania-led-by-russian-friendly-candidate/

2024-12-05 19:15:13 UTC

30 years ago today, Ukraine traded nuclear arms¹ for security assurances, a decision that still haunts Kyiv today
On Dec. 5, 1994, Ukraine had signed a set of political agreements that would guarantee the country's sovereignty and independence in return for accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
Twenty years after signing the agreement, Russia launched a war against Ukraine, occupying Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine. Thirty years in, Russia is actively conducting a full-scale offensive against Ukraine, burning the cities and killing the people it once promised to protect.
The shadow of the events of 1994 haunts Ukraine today.
Read the full article here.²
Photo: Diana Walker/Getty Images
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¹ https://kyivindependent.com/30-years-ago-ukraine-traded-nuclear-arms-for-security-assurances-a-decision-that-haunts-kyiv-today/
² https://kyivindependent.com/30-years-ago-ukraine-traded-nuclear-arms-for-security-assurances-a-decision-that-haunts-kyiv-today/
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2024-12-05 12:36:22 UTC

⚡️ 'There will be no Yalta-2 or Minsk-3,' Ukrainian FM says at OSCE meeting.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, speaking at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) meeting in Malta on Dec. 5, strongly opposed any agreements resembling past Yalta or Minsk deals that could legitimize Russian aggression.
"We have seen what Russian peace means in Bucha, Mariupol, Izium. For them, it means mass graves, ruins of cities, and killed Ukrainian civilians," Sybiha said.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/sybiha-yalta-minsk/

2024-12-05 12:29:43 UTC

⚡️ 'A more dangerous Russia' — UK armed forces chief issues stark 'third nuclear age' warning.
The world faces the dawn of a "third nuclear age," the head of the U.K.'s armed forces Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said on Dec. 4.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/a-more-dangerous-russia-uk-armed-forces-chief-issues-stark-third-nuclear-age-warning/

2024-12-05 10:50:33 UTC

⚡️ Ukraine sees no signs Russia is ready for peace talks, Zelensky's top aide says.
The Ukrainian government has observed no indication that Russia is prepared to engage in meaningful peace negotiations, Andriy Yermak, head of the Presidential Office, said on Dec. 4.
"They only want to dictate and speak the language of ultimatums," Yermak said in an interview for The Telegraph.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-sees-no-signs-russia-is-ready-for-peace-talks-yermak-says/

2024-12-05 09:44:27 UTC

⚡️ 48,000 Russian soldiers may be MIA in Ukraine, Putin's relative reveals.
Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anna Tsivilyova let slip on Nov. 26 that the ministry had received 48,000 applications for DNA tests from relatives seeking information about soldiers missing in action during the war against Ukraine, opposition Telegram news channel Astra reported on Dec. 3.
Her comments provide rare insight into the number of missing Russian troops, as no official statistics on these figures have been released.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/russia-48000-mia/

2024-12-04 22:01:21 UTC

⚡️Blinken confirms Ukraine to receive $50 billion transfer from frozen Russian assets.
Blinken confirmed during a briefing on Dec. 4 that the transfer is part of a coordinated effort between the U.S. and EU to support Ukraine.
“We’re working in a very determined way, again, to make sure for many months ahead that Ukraine will have what it needs,” he added.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/blinken-confirms-ukraine-to-receive-50-billion-transfer-from-frozen-russian-assets/

2024-12-04 19:03:16 UTC

⚡️Ukraine preparing sanctions against Georgian government amid crackdown on pro-EU protests.
President Volodymyr Zelensky tasked Ukrainian officials to prepare sanctions against the Georgian government amid a crackdown against pro-EU protests in the country, he said in an evening address on Dec. 4.
According to Zelensky, the Georgian authorities "are pushing the country into clear dependence on Russia."
"It is truly shameful what actions they are taking against their own people," the president said.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-preparing-sanctions-against-georgian-government-amid-crackdown-on-pro-eu-protetst/

2024-12-03 21:10:37 UTC

The Kyiv Independent will present a new documentary, “Can You Hear Me? The Invisible Battles of Ukrainian Military Medics” on Dec. 12.
The film’s authors Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko followed a group of Ukrainian military medics as they journeyed from the heat of battle in war-torn Ukraine to the serene forests of Sweden for a short mental health retreat.
The film’s premiere will take place in Kyiv on Dec. 12. It will be screened in Ukrainian with English subtitles, followed by a discussion with the co-authors of the film in Ukrainian. WARNING: The film contains graphic scenes.
Register here to attend for free.
The film’s premiere will be held in partnership with Repower and with the support of the Swedish Embassy in Ukraine.
🔗 https://forms.gle/j4JcwF6JUiwTjDKm9
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2024-12-03 19:32:55 UTC

Protests in Georgia, explained¹
For the fifth day in a row, Georgians are holding massive protests in the country's capital, Tbilisi.
The brewing dissatisfaction was ignited by the country's democratic backsliding under the leadership of the pro-Russian, increasingly illiberal government.
The final straw appeared to be the parliament elections won by the ruling Georgian Dream party, which many believe were marred by fraud, and the government's decision to pause the country's EU accession process until 2028.
Read the full explainer here. ²
Photo: Davit Kachkachishvili/Anadolu via Getty Images
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¹ https://kyivindependent.com/protests-in-georgia-explained/
² https://kyivindependent.com/protests-in-georgia-explained/
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2024-12-03 08:39:34 UTC

⚡️ Ukraine won't accept security guarantees substituting NATO membership.
Ukraine will refuse any kind of "alternatives, surrogates or substitutes" to full NATO membership, according to a Foreign Ministry statement on Dec. 3.
"Having the bitter experience of the Budapest Memorandum behind us, we will not settle for any alternatives, surrogates, or substitutes for Ukraine's full membership in NATO," the statement said just two days before the 30th anniversary of the memorandum's signing.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-will-not-accept-security-guarantees-substituting-nato-membership/

2024-11-30 20:12:14 UTC

⚡️Protests erupt across Georgia in defiance of government's anti-EU stance.
Protests have now spread from Tbilisi to Batumi, Zugdidi, Kutaisi, Telavi, Gurjaani, and other Georgian cities, sparked by the government's decision to postpone EU accession talks.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/protests-erupt-across-georgia-in-defiance-of-governments-anti-eu-stance/

2024-11-30 17:20:45 UTC

⚡️Scholz criticized opposition for proposing Taurus missiles ultimatum for Russia.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz criticized opposition leader Friedrich Merz for proposing that Berlin send Russia an ultimatum about possible deliveries of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/scholz-criticized-opposition-for-proposing-taurus-missiles-ultimatum-for-russia/

2024-11-30 01:20:01 UTC

⚡️Ukrainian poet Myroslav Herasymovych killed on front line.
Ukrainian poet, prose writer, and screenwriter Myroslav Herasymovych was killed in action on Nov. 25 in Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, according to his brother’s Facebook post.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-poet-myroslav-herasymovych-killed-on-front-line/

2024-11-29 13:29:09 UTC

⚡️Turkey won't support peace plan with territorial concessions, Ukrainian lawmaker says.
Turkey won't support a peace plan that involves freezing the war in Ukraine and Kyiv making territorial concessions to Moscow, Ukrinform reported on Nov. 29, citing Ukrainian lawmaker Ahtem Chiygoz.
"There are constant accusations, especially from the Russian side, that Turkey is committed to a peace formula that involves freezing the conflict and concessions in territorial integrity," Chiygoz said.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/turkey-assures-that-it-wont-support-peace-plan-with-territorial-concessions-lawmaker-says/

2024-11-29 13:00:08 UTC

Belarus Weekly: Lukashenko threatens internet shutdown in case of protests during 2025 elections
In this week's edition: Alexander Lukashenko threatens to shut down the internet in Belarus should protests occur during the 2025 presidential election.
Meanwhile, thirty-eight Russian combat drones entered Belarus on Nov. 24-25, marking the most significant overnight incursion so far.
Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/belarus-weekly-lukashenko-threatens-internet-shutdown-in-case-of-protests-during-2025-elections/
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2024-11-29 01:44:29 UTC

⚡️Russian soldiers suspected of executing 4 more Ukrainian POWs near Pokrovsk.
Four unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) were apparently shot and killed by Russian forces in Donetsk Oblast earlier this November, adding to the five previously reported executions of Ukrainian soldiers, the Prosecutor General's Office said on Nov. 28.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/russian-soldiers-suspected-of-executing-4-more-ukrainian-pows-near-pokrovsk/

2024-11-29 00:09:24 UTC

⚡️Russian lawyer sentenced to 7 years in prison for publicly speaking out against Ukraine war, media reports.
Russian lawyer Dmitry Talantov, who once chaired the regional lawyers' association in Udmurtia in west-central Russia, was accused of posting several social media comments condemning Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/russian-lawyer-sentenced-to-7-years-in-prison-for-publicly-speaking-out-against-ukraine-war/

2024-11-28 21:14:15 UTC

‘It’s excruciating’ – Ukrainians describe surviving Russian attacks that cost them health, loved ones, and homes¹
Thousands of Ukrainians who have survived brutal Russian attacks since Feb. 24, 2022, have been left not just with lasting scars on their bodies, but long-term damage to their mental health from the trauma of their experiences.
WARNING: This article contains descriptions of graphic scenes.
Read the full human story here.²
Photo: Gaelle Girbes/Getty Images
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¹ https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainians-describe-surviving-russian-attacks/
² https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainians-describe-surviving-russian-attacks/
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2024-11-28 02:56:13 UTC

⚡️Europe in 'actual war' with Russia, former UK intelligence chief says.
"I think we have to face up to the fact that the Russians think they're in a state of war with us," Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, told Sky News on Nov. 27.
"Donald Tusk has referred to it as a pre-war situation. I think he's wrong. I think it's an actual war."
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/europe-in-actual-war-with-russia-former-uk-intelligence-chief-says/

2024-11-27 20:58:57 UTC

Vertep, a centuries-old Ukrainian Christmas tradition¹
The tradition dates back to the 16th-17th centuries and is still practiced across Ukraine today around the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
Originally staged as a traveling puppet theater, it is now performed by carolers who dress up in elaborate costumes and sing songs blending religious and folk themes. The colorful casts can include up to 40 characters, ranging from religious figures, shepherds, and peasants to animals.
Read more here. ²
Photo: Artur Widak/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
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¹ https://kyivindependent.com/explaining-ukraine-vertep-a-ukrainian-christmas-tradition/
² https://kyivindependent.com/explaining-ukraine-vertep-a-ukrainian-christmas-tradition/
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2024-11-25 11:48:04 UTC

⚡️ 'You're repeating Russian propaganda,' Ukrainian boxing champion Klitschko responds to podcaster Joe Rogan.
Ukrainian former professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko on Nov. 24 accused Joe Rogan of echoing Russian propaganda after the U.S. podcaster lambasted Washington's decision to allow Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia.
"You talk about sending American weapons to Ukraine, which you believe will lead to World War III. (Vladimir) Putin’s Russia is in trouble, so Putin wants to scare you and people like you," Klitschko said on X.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/joe-rogan-klitschko/

2024-11-24 06:21:40 UTC

⚡️Nearly 22,000 civilians have been evacuated from Kharkiv Oblast in 6 months, governor says.
"We are continuing evacuation efforts, bringing both children and adults to safety," Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov said on air.
Kharkiv Oblast has endured constant Russian attacks since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/nearly-22-000-civilians-evacuated-from-kharkiv-oblast-in-6-months-governor-says/