Kyiv Independent
Putin claims occupied Ukrainian land is 'historical Russia,' signals readiness for talks
- Title
- Putin claims occupied Ukrainian land is 'historical Russia,' signals readiness for talks
- Runtime
- 1:17
- Date posted
- 22 hours ago
- Description
- Speaking to Russian state television on Oct. 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts is "part of historical Russia" and stated that speaking of Ukrainian territorial losses is "inappropriate".
Despite reasserting that Moscow will accomplish all objectives of its full-scale invasion, Putin stated that Russia has agreed "in principle" to resume trilateral contacts involving Ukraine and the U.S. aimed at reaching a permanent peace agreement.
Video: AP.
- Title
- 270 Ukrainian POWs return home in latest swap with Russia
- Runtime
- 0:22
- Date posted
- 24 hours ago
- Description
- Ukraine and Russia exchanged prisoners of war on Oct. 23, with 270 Ukrainian service members returning home, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced. The exchange, the first in two months, also saw 270 Russian prisoners of war returned to Russia from Ukrainian captivity.
According to Zelensky, most of the returning Ukrainians had been captured during the Siege of Mariupol in spring 2022, including defenders from the Azov regiment, Ground Forces, Navy, Air Assault Forces, and border guards.
Video: Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets / Telegram.
- Title
- How Trump’s pressure on Zelensky is backfiring in Ukraine
- Runtime
- 27:06
- Date posted
- 1 day ago
- Description
- Why is Zelensky's popularity growing as Trump attacks him? Kyiv Independent journalists Jimmy Rushton and Danylo Mokryk argue that Donald Trump’s pressure on Kyiv is backfiring — strengthening support for Volodymyr Zelensky while undermining trust in the United States.
In this discussion, Rushton and Mokryk examine the growing strain in U.S.-Ukraine relations, Trump’s attempts to blame Ukraine for the failure to end Russia’s war, and the risks of relying on American technology such as Starlink. They also discuss why Trump’s team misunderstands Russia’s motives, how Steve Witkoff’s approach to negotiations may be weakening Washington’s position, and whether U.S.-Ukraine relations can recover under Trump.
00:00 Intro
01:00 Why Trump’s worldview aligns with Putin’s Russia
02:45 Is the current crisis worse than the 2025 Oval Office clash?
04:37 Why Trump’s attacks are boosting Zelensky
06:52 Who is shaping Trump’s vi...
- Title
- Russian energy strikes threaten Kyiv's water and sewage systems
- Runtime
- 2:46
- Date posted
- 1 day ago
- Description
- As Russia continues to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, power outages threaten Kyiv's water and sewage pumping systems ahead of the winter months.
The Kyiv Independent’s Dominic Culverwell explains how the capital’s water network relies heavily on electricity to pump water and transport sewage across the city. Without sufficient power to run the main pumping stations, taps could run dry and sewage could overflow into streets, creating severe public health and environmental hazards for the city's three million residents.
While municipal authorities have stockpiled emergency equipment and generators for smaller stations, backup power remains insufficient for the city's largest, most critical pumping facilities.
- Title
- Ukraine will be the backbone of European security, says Meaghan Mobbs
- Runtime
- 1:07
- Date posted
- 2 days ago
- Description
- Amid growing diplomatic tension and mounting pressure on Kyiv to accept a peace deal, Meaghan Mobbs, president of the R.T. Weatherman Foundation, tells the Kyiv Independent’s Tim Zadorozhnyy that Ukraine remains critical to the future of Western security.
Commenting on U.S. calls for Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries, Mobbs stresses that diplomatic movement requires pressure on Moscow, not just Kyiv.
“There’s clearly only one party that continues to say no, and that’s Russia, because they’re just simply not interested in peace,” Mobbs says. “In order for there to be movement towards a direction in which there is going to be a diplomatic outcome, there has to be pressure on the Russian side, not just the Ukrainian side.”
- Title
- Hours after Russian strikes, Kyiv reacts to Witkoff praising Putin
- Runtime
- 2:00
- Date posted
- 2 days ago
- Description
- On Oct. 21, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff gushingly praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for being a “humanitarian.”
Just a few hours later, Kyiv once again came under a fresh barrage of devastating Russian missiles, killing at least one person and injuring over 20.
“We thought this was a war and the destruction of Ukraine, but it turns out to be an act of humanity,” Nataliia Stativko, a former journalist, told the Kyiv Independent on a street devastated by one of the missiles. .
“Now we will die and bury our children, knowing that this is an act of humanity.”
Video: Kateryna Hodunova; Nastia Kasinchuk/ The Kyiv Independent
- Title
- Kyiv resident: ‘I want my children to leave here’
- Runtime
- 1:35
- Date posted
- 2 days ago
- Description
- Russian ballistic missiles struck transport and medical infrastructure in Kyiv in several waves overnight on Oct. 22, killing at least one person and injuring 24 others, only hours after Washington’s special envoy Steve Witkoff visited Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.
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Among the injured are four children, one of whom has been hospitalized, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said.
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“My youngest daughter is five years old; she started screaming, ‘Daddy, Daddy, let’s run to the shelter, to the shelter,’” said Vitalii Kachan, a local resident.
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“I want my children to leave here, at least the children,” Kachan said.
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Russian attacks have killed at least nine people and injured 56 others across Ukraine over the past day, as Russia launched a mass missile and drone attack primarily targeting Kyiv, local authorities said on Oct. 22.
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Russian forces launched a mass combined attack over...
- Title
- Anne Applebaum: Trump’s diesel deal is ‘a panicky move’
- Runtime
- 1:25
- Date posted
- 2 days ago
- Description
- Historian and journalist Anne Applebaum called U.S. President Donald Trump’s diesel deal with Russia “a panicky move on the part of the president and a little bit of a strange one.”
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“What it does do is align the president, at least in his narrative, with the Russians. Because this is partly a war about psychology, the war is over when the Russians understand they can’t win. This is something that makes the Russians think they can keep fighting. It helps them in that sense, not in any material sense,” Applebaum said.
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The Kyiv Independent’s Tim Zadorozhnyy speaks with Applebaum about Trump’s diesel deal with Russia, U.S. pressure on Kyiv to concede territory, and why the administration’s peace envoys misunderstand the motivations behind Russia’s invasion.
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Watch the full video on our YouTube channel.
- Title
- Dealers of Hate: Kyiv Independent investigates anti-Ukrainian rhetoric in Europe
- Runtime
- 0:55
- Date posted
- 3 days ago
- Description
- Behind thousands of social media posts and inflammatory political rhetoric lies a growing threat to Ukrainians living abroad.
In a new investigative documentary by the Kyiv Independent, reporter Danylo Mokryk and our War Crimes Investigations Unit analyze tens of thousands of posts on X to expose how anti-Ukrainian hate speech across Germany, Czechia, and Poland escalates from online hostility into physical violence and political manipulation. Through the personal stories of Ukrainians targeted abroad, “Dealers of Hate” reveals how coordinated hate speech is used as a political tool.
Watch the full documentary on our YouTube channel on Oct. 30. Subscribe and set a reminder so you don’t miss the release.
Video: OMZRI / X; Seznamzpravy.cz, Vitsche Berlin, Vinegret.cz / Instagram; Onet.pl, Karina Kitsai / Facebook, serhii_pekh / Instagram, chornyy_ya / Instagram.
- Title
- What happened to Ukraine's 'middle strike' drone advantage?
- Runtime
- 1:12
- Date posted
- 3 days ago
- Description
- In spring 2026, Ukrainian "middle strike" drones gained a distinct advantage, hunting Russian supply lines deep behind Russia lines from occupied Mariupol to Crimea.
Six months later, Russia is adapting with counter-drone measures and jet-powered strikes against Ukrainian cities. the Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell embeds with Ukraine's 422nd Unmanned Systems Regiment on the southern front to explore how the battle over Russian logistics is shifting, how drone crews operate under blackout conditions, and what Ukraine's technological edge requires to hold on.
Watch the full report on our YouTube channel.
- Title
- Putin pushing for negotiations because he can’t win in Ukraine, Kellogg’s daughter argues
- Runtime
- 22:25
- Date posted
- 3 days ago
- Description
- Can the U.S. secure a lasting peace deal for Ukraine? As pressure to make a peace deal with Russia mounts on Kyiv, we sat down with Meaghan Mobbs, president of the R.T. Weatherman Foundation and daughter of former U.S. special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg. She argues that peace built on surrender would only give Russia time to prepare for another war.
The Kyiv Independent’s Tim Zadorozhnyy speaks with Mobbs about the strained U.S.-Ukraine relations, U.S. President Donald Trump’s diesel deal with Russia, and pressure on Kyiv to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries. She argues that Russia must face consequences for rejecting an energy ceasefire, and that Ukraine is an "instrumental partner” for the future of the United States’ security.
00:00 Intro
00:33 US-Ukraine relations under strain
01:25 Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil refineries
02:13 Trump-Zelensky tensions
03:30 Why peace cannot mean surrender
05:38 Why Trum...
- Title
- Witkoff calls Putin 'a humanitarian' following release of American prisoner
- Runtime
- 0:13
- Date posted
- 3 days ago
- Description
- Speaking during an Oct. 21 meeting in St. Petersburg, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff praised Russian President Vladimir Putin after Moscow released 74-year-old U.S. citizen Stephen Hubbard, who was sentenced by a Russian court in 2024 for allegedly fighting for Ukraine.
Addressing Putin, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Ukraine, Witkoff said: “You speak so much about how my president, President Trump, is a humanitarian. You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that, I commend you, and thank you again”.
The exchange comes two days after U.S. President Donald Trump made similar remarks regarding Moscow’s invasion, claiming on Oct. 19 that “Russia, frankly, has been fine on Ukraine. They haven’t been doing much,” as Russian forces continued daily strikes across Ukraine.
Video: Kremlin / Telegram.
- Title
- Trump: ‘Ukraine has to want to make a deal’
- Runtime
- 0:51
- Date posted
- 3 days ago
- Description
- U.S. President Donald Trump made new comments about Ukraine on Oct. 20, saying that “Ukraine has to want to make a deal” with Russia to end the war.
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U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Oct. 21 for a new round of talks on ending Russia's war against Ukraine, following discussions with President Volodymyr Zelensky and European allies in Norway a day earlier.
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The Kremlin has repeatedly rejected a ceasefire and demanded that Kyiv surrender the partially occupied Donbas, a strategically important region in eastern Ukraine. Moscow is seeking territory that Russian forces have failed to capture militarily.
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Ukraine, by contrast, has called for a ceasefire along the current front line.
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Meanwhile, Kyiv's ties with Washington are sharply deteriorating amid concerns that the U.S. could be withholding the delivery of Patriot air-defense missiles funded by Ukraine's allies, as w...
- Title
- What a Kyiv apartment looks like after Russian drone strike
- Runtime
- 0:16
- Date posted
- 3 days ago
- Description
- This is what an ordinary Kyiv apartment looks like after a Russian drone strike on Oct. 21.
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Russia carried out a drone attack early on Oct. 21, killing at least two people and injuring two others, the Kyiv City Military Administration said. A 24-story apartment building was hit by a Russian drone, sparking a fire on the 20th floor.
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Russian attacks have killed at least nine people and injured 45 others across Ukraine over the past day, local authorities said on Oct. 21.
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Russian troops launched attacks against Ukraine overnight with Iskander-K cruise missiles and 186 drones, including Shahed-type ones, the Air Force reported. It reported downing 150 drones, 63 of which were jet-powered.
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Video: Olena Zashko / The Kyiv Independent.
- Title
- Russian drone hits Kyiv high-rise, killing at least 2
- Runtime
- 1:11
- Date posted
- 3 days ago
- Description
- A Russian drone attack on Kyiv killed at least two people and injured two others on the morning of Oct. 21, local authorities said.
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In the Sviatoshynskyi District, a Russian drone struck a 24-story residential building, sparking a fire on the 20th floor.
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“Everything you see right now is real. It’s not Photoshop, and it’s not AI,” said Kateryna Domina, a local resident.
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Domina told The Kyiv Independent that she did not hear the drone approaching, only a powerful explosion as it struck the high-rise.
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In the Desnianskyi District, drone debris fell on a car, while in the Solomianskyi District, debris landed in an open area, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
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This fall, Russian forces have intensified their attacks on Ukraine using jet-powered drones, which can reach speeds of up to 600 kph and fly at higher altitudes than older propeller-driven models, making them harder for Ukraine’s limited air defen...
- Title
- Trump refers to civilian strikes in Ukraine as 'a town that got hit or whatever'
- Runtime
- 0:46
- Date posted
- 4 days ago
- Description
- Speaking on Oct. 20, U.S. President Donald Trump called recent casualties in Russia’s war against Ukraine “32,000 people between the both of them,” describing civilian impacts as “some people in a town that got hit or whatever.”
Trump’s comments come amid a sharp rise in civilian casualties across Ukraine. According to the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, 328 civilians were killed, and 2,105 were injured in September 2026 alone — an 85% increase from September 2025 — with the U.N. reporting that the first two weeks of October were among the deadliest periods for civilians in years.
Video: The White House / YouTube; State Emergency Service / Telegram; alli_baska / Instagram; Serhii Korovayny / the Kyiv Independent.
- Title
- Russian daytime drone attack damages Kyiv hospital, research institute, and injures five
- Runtime
- 0:24
- Date posted
- 4 days ago
- Description
- Russian drones repeatedly struck Kyiv on Oct. 20, damaging two medical facilities and the Institute of Water Problems and Land Reclamation, injuring five people, according to local authorities.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said Russia struck the operating room of the Strazheska Institute of the National Academy of Medical Sciences in Kyiv’s Solomyanskyi District, injuring one patient.
“This is the second time. Last year, the attack hit the fourth floor of the institute, and now it is on the sixth floor, where the operating room is located,” Koretskyi said.
In Holosiivskyi District, a medical facility and the Institute of Water Problems and Land Reclamation were damaged by debris from a Russian drone, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
While Klitschko initially reported two people injured, the Kyiv City Military Administration later raised the total number of injured to five.
Video: Chris Occhicon...
- Title
- Bill Browder on why comprehensive sanctions on Russian crude oil could stop Putin’s war
- Runtime
- 0:36
- Date posted
- 4 days ago
- Description
- Why has the West stopped short of full sanctions on Russian crude oil?
In an interview with the Kyiv Independent’s Tim Zadorozhnyy, investor and longtime sanctions advocate Bill Browder explains why Russia’s dependence on oil revenues remains Vladimir Putin’s primary financial lifeline.
Browder argues that implementing comprehensive sanctions on Russian crude would directly starve Moscow’s war effort, crippling its ability to fund the military and forcing the Kremlin to the negotiating table.
- Title
- Anne Applebaum on the contradiction of Trump’s support for Russia
- Runtime
- 1:33
- Date posted
- 4 days ago
- Description
- Why is Donald Trump defending Vladimir Putin despite Russia’s ongoing military backing of Iran?
In an interview with the Kyiv Independent’s Tim Zadorozhnyy, historian and journalist Anne Applebaum breaks down the psychological drivers and business background shaping the U.S. president’s foreign policy approach.
Applebaum discusses how Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries are creating genuine pressure on Moscow, why Trump’s push to halt those attacks risks granting Russia crucial breathing room, and why Washington’s peace envoys fundamentally misread the Kremlin’s motivations in its war against Ukraine.
- Title
- Trump: ‘Zelensky doesn’t know what he’s talking about’
- Runtime
- 0:36
- Date posted
- 4 days ago
- Description
- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Oct. 19 that President Volodymyr Zelensky “doesn’t know what he’s talking about” and that “it’s time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine.”
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Trump issued a broad waiver of sanctions under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act on Oct. 16.
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Zelensky said on Oct. 17 that Trump was “wrong” to further “block” sanctions against Russia. “Unfortunately, I don’t think this is a way to stop (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. On the contrary, he feels joy that he has such support,” Zelensky told reporters.
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Zelensky said that Trump siding with Russia would put him on the “wrong side of history,” but added that the U.S. and Ukraine are in “constant communication” and are preparing their “next steps in diplomacy.”
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Video: The White House.
- Title
- What Russia's doing to Ukraine is 'fine,' Trump says
- Runtime
- 0:19
- Date posted
- 5 days ago
- Description
- U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Oct. 19 that Russia “has been fine on Ukraine” and “hasn’t been doing much” — the same day a Russian daytime drone strike on a public park killed six people, including two children, and overnight missile attacks targeted nearly 30 energy facilities across the country.
Video: AP; Chris Occhicone / the Kyiv Independent.
- Title
- "Nothing like other explosions:" Kyiv resident describes Russian attack
- Runtime
- 1:43
- Date posted
- 5 days ago
- Description
- “I was shocked by how loud it was. It was nothing like any of the other explosions in our neighborhood,” says 18-year-old Sofiia Kelli, whose apartment was damaged when Russian missile debris struck a 25-story residential building in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district during an overnight attack on Oct. 19.
She added that her neighborhood has been hit repeatedly during recent attacks, with nearby strikes previously damaging the Bilshovyk factory, a night school, the Dovzhenko Film Studio, and a local data center.
At least one person was killed, and eight others were injured across the capital as multiple waves of Russian ballistic missiles hit civilian infrastructure, damaged a local medical center, and destroyed commercial property.
Video: Chris Occhicone / the Kyiv Independent.
- Title
- Ukrainian military evacuates wounded soldier with aerial drone for the first time
- Runtime
- 0:51
- Date posted
- 5 days ago
- Description
- Ukrainian forces have executed a "first-of-its-kind" mission, using a heavy aerial drone to evacuate an injured soldier from a front-line position where ground rescue was impossible.
Equipped with a winch and specialized harness, the "Heavy Shot Ayudag-6" hexacopter transported the soldier 62 kilometers (39 miles) to safety under continuous electronic warfare protection.
According to the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade, the soldier is receiving treatment and his life is no longer in danger. While organizers stress that aerial rescues remain a high-risk "last resort," developers say the successful operation marks a major step forward for battlefield evacuations.
Video: 10th Army Corps / Unmanned Ground Systems Company of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade / 2nd Mechanized Battalion of the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade / 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade.
- Title
- Kyiv resident after Russian missile strike: ‘They’re just killing ordinary people’
- Runtime
- 0:58
- Date posted
- 5 days ago
- Description
- At least one person was killed and eight others injured after multiple waves of Russian missiles struck Kyiv overnight on Oct. 19.
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President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on the morning of Oct. 19 that Russian forces had attacked Ukraine with ballistic missiles, adding that Kyiv had received no advance warning from its partners about the launches.
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The Cosmo Multimall shopping and entertainment center sustained significant damage in the Solomianskyi District.
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Serhii Misan, 68, a local resident, had planned to pick up his new refrigerator from Cosmo Multimall on the morning of Oct. 19.
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“I only paid for a refrigerator yesterday, and they told me I could pick it up today,” Misan said. “And now look at what’s happening here.”
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Misan added that, in light of recent developments, Ukraine would struggle to resist Russia without a strong partner like the U.S.
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“We are not trying to seize thei...
- Title
- Russian missile attack damages Kyiv metro station
- Runtime
- 0:37
- Date posted
- 5 days ago
- Description
- At least one person was killed and eight others injured after multiple waves of Russian missiles struck Kyiv overnight on Oct. 19.
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The above-ground Chernihivska and Lisova metro stations were temporarily closed for repairs, city officials said.
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The Russian attack also destroyed a data center operated by telecommunications company Datagroup, which provides electronic communications services to users in more than 90 settlements across Ukraine.
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According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia fired 16 ballistic missiles, with Kyiv and the surrounding region being the primary targets.
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Ukraine received no advance warning from its partners ahead of the first wave, but information about the second wave was provided, said Yurii Ihnat, head of the Ukrainian Air Force’s communications department.
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Video: The Kyiv Independent.
- Title
- 3 waves of Russian missiles slam Kyiv overnight
- Runtime
- 0:27
- Date posted
- 5 days ago
- Description
- At least one person was killed and eight others injured after multiple waves of Russian missiles struck Kyiv overnight on Oct. 19.
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Several explosions rocked the capital just before 11 p.m., with further attacks around 3 a.m. and 7 a.m., Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground reported. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (DSNS) said damage was reported in at least three districts.
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One person was killed in the Desnianskyi District where a non-residential building caught fire and a metro station was damaged, DSNS said.
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The above-ground Chernihivska and Lisova metro stations were temporarily closed for repairs, city officials said.
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Five people were injured in the Solomianskyi District when a 25-story residential building was damaged, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported. It is not yet clear where the other injuries occurred.
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Klitschko also reported damage to a medical center in the same district.
⠀<...
- Title
- Inside Ukraine’s drone campaign to cut off Russian forces
- Runtime
- 22:37
- Date posted
- 6 days ago
- Description
- How are Ukraine’s drones disrupting Russian supply lines — and can Ukraine hold on to its advantage? Flying far behind enemy lines, “middle-strike” drones hunt the fuel, ammunition, and reinforcements Russia needs to sustain its assaults. Starlink has helped make this campaign possible, but dependence on Elon Musk’s satellite network leaves Ukraine vulnerable to restrictions on its use.
The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell embeds with Ukraine’s 422nd Unmanned Systems Regiment on the southern front, following a night mission and speaking with a drone crew and their commander. From strikes on supply routes linking Russia to occupied Crimea to the hunt for Russian Starlink jammers, the video explores how the campaign affects the battlefield, how Russia is adapting, and why Ukraine’s technological edge cannot be taken for granted.
Watch more of the Kyiv Independent’s reporting on drone warfare:
https://youtu.be/HstH_wM2_3g
https://y...
- Title
- How Ukraine uses ground robots to save defenders’ lives
- Runtime
- 1:24
- Date posted
- 6 days ago
- Description
- For Anastasiia “Tata,” a UGV operator with the Alter Ego Battalion of Ukraine’s 93rd Mechanized Brigade, ground robots offer a chance to save lives on a battlefield where evacuating wounded soldiers has become increasingly dangerous. Under constant threat from Russian drones, even reaching a wounded soldier can be a deadly mission.
Unmanned ground vehicles can help evacuate wounded troops from positions where human rescuers have little chance of getting through. But these missions remain risky, and operators must navigate unpredictable battlefield conditions while racing to get wounded soldiers to safety.
Watch the full video on our YouTube channel.
- Title
- What’s weakening Ukraine’s defense?
- Runtime
- 1:21
- Date posted
- 6 days ago
- Description
- Ukraine’s ability to sustain its defense depends on more than what happens on the battlefield. In this video, Ukrainian journalist, publicist and serviceman Pavlo Kazarin discusses how soldiers can begin to feel like an audience their own state no longer speaks to — while issues such as mobilization are increasingly difficult to discuss openly.
That disconnect can deepen the divide between those serving and those living civilian lives, weakening trust when Ukraine needs it most. In a conversation with The Kyiv Independent’s Kateryna Hodunova, Kazarin also discusses draft evasion, AWOL and what the state needs to change to sustain the country’s defense.
Watch the full video on our YouTube channel.
- Title
- Hundreds protest in Kyiv demanding Mayor Klitschko’s resignation
- Runtime
- 2:00
- Date posted
- 7 days ago
- Description
- Local residents gathered on Oct. 17 in front of the city council to demand that Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko step down from his post after over 12 years in office.
“Kyiv without Klitschko,” hundreds of protesters chanted as they took to the streets in central Kyiv, according to Kyiv Independent reporters on the ground. The rally lasted over two hours.
Kyiv’s failure to prepare for the coming winter amid Russian attacks on critical infrastructure, coupled with broader mismanagement, were the main factors that brought people to protest.
The protest comes as Russia intensifies attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and Kyiv struggles to ensure reliable access to basic utilities and adequate shelter.
The cardboard signs read “Where are the shelters?” “Resign” and “12 years of irresponsibility.” Others mockingly called on Klitschko to “leave Kyiv,” turning his recent advice that residents consider relocating ahea...
- Title
- How Ukraine’s 93rd Brigade used a fleet of ground drones to counter a Russian breakthrough in Donbas
- Runtime
- 1:58
- Date posted
- 7 days ago
- Description
- When hundreds of Russian soldiers broke through Ukrainian lines east of Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast, the 93rd Mechanized Brigade’s Alter Ego Battalion was given 48 hours to execute an unprecedented mission: launch an all-robot counterattack.
Using ground drones armed with heavy machine guns, flamethrowers, and loudspeakers calling on Russian forces to surrender, Ukrainian troops pinned down the Russian troops before clearing the villages with ground forces.
Watch how Ukrainian soldiers are developing and deploying unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) on the front lines to hold off Russian forces and reduce battlefield losses.
- Title
- The moment a Russian glide bomb grazes a Sumy apartment balcony without exploding
- Runtime
- 0:03
- Date posted
- 7 days ago
- Description
- A Russian glide bomb grazed an apartment building balcony in Sumy before landing in a nearby body of water without exploding on Oct. 17, avoiding a major detonation, local officials reported.
Russian forces launched eight glide bombs at the Sumy community, four of which struck the regional center, four of which struck the regional center, according to Oleh Hryhorov, head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration.
The attack hit a residential sector on the outskirts of Sumy, killing a 42-year-old man and injuring at least two other people.
Video: Oleh Hryhorov / Sumy Regional Military Administration / Telegram.
- Title
- Browder: Putin is ready to go “the North Korea route”
- Runtime
- 1:39
- Date posted
- 8 days ago
- Description
- Asked whether economic problems might push Russia to end the war, or whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would starve his population first, Bill Browder, an investor and longtime sanctions advocate, said, “He’s ready to go the North Korea route... if he had to sacrifice all 145 million Russians to save his own life, he would do that.”
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“I think economic problems might affect his ability to wage the war. And so then he’s going to make really tough decisions about what he does within the war. And that’s when Ukraine gets an advantage,” Browder said.
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The Kyiv Independent’s Tim Zadorozhnyy speaks with Browder about Trump’s deal to allow Russian diesel supplies to the U.S., the implications for Ukraine and Western policy, and whether sanctions can force Russia to negotiate.
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Watch the full video on our YouTube channel.
- Title
- Zelensky pushes back on Trump’s Russia policy
- Runtime
- 0:38
- Date posted
- 8 days ago
- Description
- Speaking in Brussels on Oct. 16, President Volodymyr Zelensky pushed back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent criticism, saying his priority is defending Ukraine’s interests — regardless of pressure from Washington.
“Yesterday, there were a thousand drones in Ukraine. A thousand. But the American side said that it’s ‘difficult to speak with Zelensky. It’s less difficult to manage with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin.’ Of course,” Zelensky retorted.
Video: European Union
- Title
- Zelensky asked if he’s Trump’s scapegoat. His answer
- Runtime
- 0:37
- Date posted
- 8 days ago
- Description
- Asked at the Oct. 16 press conference in Brussels whether he is being treated as a scapegoat for U.S. President Donald Trump’s problems, President Volodymyr Zelensky paused, smiled and said, “This is my answer.”
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Zelensky also challenged Trump’s broader approach to Russia over the past few days, saying “we cannot proceed with these diesel deals,” because it will be followed by the lifting of further sanctions on gas, banks, individuals, and Russian assets.
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“If I don’t stand up to this, if I don’t defend against it, who else will do this?” Zelensky asked.
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Video: European Union.
- Title
- Anne Applebaum on the contradiction of Trump’s support of Russia
- Runtime
- 16:37
- Date posted
- 8 days ago
- Description
- Why is Putin pushing Trump to stop Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil refineries? Historian and journalist Anne Applebaum argues that these attacks are putting real pressure on Moscow — and that Trump’s approach risks giving Russia more time to continue its war against Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent’s Tim Zadorozhnyy speaks with Applebaum about Trump’s diesel deal with Russia, U.S. pressure on Kyiv to concede territory, and why the administration’s peace envoys misunderstand the motivations behind Russia’s invasion.
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00:00 Ukraine is now Europe’s most important source of security
00:20 Trump’s new deal with Russia: “a panicky move”
02:40 Why won’t Trump confront Putin while Russia helps Iran?
03:30 Trump’s psychology and his long ties to Russian money
04:20 Declaring a ceasefire doesn’t make it real
5:50 Support our independent journalism
06:...
- Title
- “Not enough”: Kyiv residents on new bomb shelters
- Runtime
- 1:39
- Date posted
- 8 days ago
- Description
- It has taken more than four and a half years of Russia’s full-scale invasion for Kyiv to begin installing its first mobile bomb shelter at a public transport stop.
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This shelter is intended to protect those caught outside during Russian missile and drone attacks.
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“We have already purchased shelters and within a month, the first batch, roughly, as far as I remember, 40 or 50 units, will be set up at transport stops where there are no stationary shelters nearby,” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Sept. 12.
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The shelter’s arrival comes amid growing frustration with how the city authorities have handled winter preparations and civilian protection. On Oct. 17, protesters are gathering outside the city administration to demand the resignation of Klitschko, accusing him of failing to adequately prepare the capital against Russian attacks.
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Video: The Kyiv Independent.
- Title
- What do Ukrainians think of Trump’s latest decisions?
- Runtime
- 2:46
- Date posted
- 9 days ago
- Description
- A deal with Russia, pressure on Ukraine to stop striking Russian oil refineries and other recent decisions by U.S. President Donald Trump have raised concerns among Ukrainians. Meanwhile, Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities continue.
The Kyiv Independent took to the streets of Kyiv to ask residents how they view Trump’s recent decisions and what they mean for Ukraine.
From feelings of betrayal to calls for a clearer stance against Moscow, here’s what people in the Ukrainian capital had to say.
Video: Nastia Kasinchuk / The Kyiv Independent
- Title
- Browder: Ukraine found Putin’s Achilles heel
- Runtime
- 1:24
- Date posted
- 9 days ago
- Description
- Could Donald Trump’s diesel deal help protect Russia’s oil infrastructure from Ukrainian attacks? Bill Browder, an investor and longtime sanctions advocate, argues that the deal resulted from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plea to Trump to help protect Russia’s energy infrastructure from Ukrainian drone strikes.
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“You found the Achilles heel of Vladimir Putin. You should double, triple, quadruple down and hit all the oil refineries, and then the data centers, and then the warehouses, because that is what Putin cares about,” Browder said.
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The Kyiv Independent’s Tim Zadorozhnyy speaks with Browder about Trump’s deal to allow Russian diesel supplies to the U.S., the implications for Ukraine and Western policy, and whether sanctions can force Russia to negotiate.
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Watch the full video on our YouTube channel.
- Title
- Russian drone attack injures 5, damages homes in Kyiv’s Pecherskyi District on Oct. 15
- Runtime
- 1:00
- Date posted
- 9 days ago
- Description
- At least five people were injured on Oct. 15 after a Russian drone fell in Kyiv’s central Pecherskyi District, Mayor Vitalii Klychko reported. Two of the wounded have been hospitalized.
The strike damaged the facade, roof, and windows of a five-story residential building, as well as the facades of two nearby three-story homes. A car caught fire in the courtyard following the crash. Emergency services are currently working at the scene.
Video: Serhii Korovayny / the Kyiv Independent.
- Title
- US speed cap on Starlink disrupts Ukrainian drone strikes
- Runtime
- 1:33
- Date posted
- 9 days ago
- Description
- Unannounced speed restrictions placed on US-supplied Starshield terminals on Oct. 14 have disrupted critical Ukrainian military missions and front-line defense capabilities.
According to Ukrainian Defense Ministry sources, Starshield terminals — the military version of Starlink — were capped at 160 km/h (100 mph), causing connection drops for fast-moving drones.
The restrictions directly impact Ukraine’s middle-strike drone campaign against Russian logistics, as well as interceptor drones deployed to shoot down incoming jet-powered Shahed drones targeting Ukrainian cities.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk attributed the restrictions to the US government, stating that usage limits on Starshield are determined by the US military and White House policy. Ukrainian officials confirmed that while connection quality was stabilized up to the 160 km/h limit late on Oct. 14, negotiations remain ongoing to lift the restriction entirely.
- Title
- Ukraine exhibits its defense tech at AUSA 2026 in Washington
- Runtime
- 1:28
- Date posted
- 9 days ago
- Description
- The Kyiv Independent's Anna Fratsyvir reported from the AUSA 2026 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C., where Ukraine introduced its first-ever dedicated pavilion at one of the world's largest defense expos.
Representing around 17 companies, the Ukrainian pavilion showcased battlefield-tested innovations — from rapid-iteration technologies to low-cost defense solutions. Ukrainian developers and specialists highlighted how domestic companies are adapting at an unprecedented pace and seeking strategic partnerships, investment, and global integration with international defense leaders.
- Title
- How Ukraine uses robots to rescue wounded soldiers
- Runtime
- 1:40
- Date posted
- 10 days ago
- Description
- The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell joins the Alter Ego Battalion of Ukraine’s 93rd Mechanized Brigade to see how Ukrainian soldiers are developing and deploying unmanned ground vehicles in the war against Russia.
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Built and modified in front-line workshops, these robots transport supplies, evacuate wounded soldiers, conduct reconnaissance, and carry out combat missions. As Russian drones make movement near the front line increasingly dangerous, ground robots are becoming essential to keeping Ukrainian troops supplied and rescuing the wounded.
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Andrii “Magician,” chief engineer of the Alter Ego Battalion, said he once evacuated two wounded men on a large ground drone from close to the front line. “Two guys were lying on the drone. I was driving and an FPV came in from behind,” he said. The men jumped off, and he kept driving the drone around, drawing fire onto it while an armored vehicle came to get the wounded.
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The report fo...
- Title
- Ukraine found Russia’s weakness. Trump is protecting it, Browder argues
- Runtime
- 13:37
- Date posted
- 10 days ago
- Description
- Could Donald Trump’s diesel deal help protect Russia’s oil infrastructure from Ukrainian attacks? Bill Browder, an investor and longtime sanctions advocate, argues that the deal resulted from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plea to Trump to help protect Russia’s energy infrastructure from Ukrainian drone strikes. Browder argues that Russia’s dependence on oil revenues makes its energy infrastructure a critical vulnerability – and for the same reason, Ukraine should keep up the pressure.
The Kyiv Independent’s Tim Zadorozhnyy speaks with Browder about Trump’s deal to allow Russian diesel supplies to the U.S., the implications for Ukraine and Western policy, and whether sanctions can force Russia to negotiate. Browder explains why he believes sanctions on Russian crude oil could significantly weaken Moscow’s ability to fund the war.
00:00 Intro
00:29 Trump’s Russia diesel deal
01:48 Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil refinerie...
- Title
- Everyday life in Kyiv as explosions echo in the background
- Runtime
- 0:51
- Date posted
- 10 days ago
- Description
- Working on video calls, parenting, and going about daily routines — all while explosions echo in the background.
As Russia intensifies its aerial strikes on Kyiv, residents carry on with essential life tasks while living under constant threat and fear.
Video: @ells.braun; @mskvts; @chrisdyork; @cherrybombfields; @alli_baska_; @aliebrary; @kosher_style_ / Instagram.
- Title
- No, Ukraine’s Yandex strikes didn’t stop Russian bots
- Runtime
- 2:04
- Date posted
- 11 days ago
- Description
- Ukrainian drone strikes against Russian data centers sparked viral claims about a sudden drop in Russian influence operations on social media — even as experts see no evidence to support this.
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Kyiv struck data centers run by Yandex — Russia’s “answer to Google” — in three different regions between Oct. 9 and 11, a response to Russian strikes against similar facilities in Ukraine.
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Yandex acknowledged the attacks, noting that its data center in Vladimir Oblast had to be shut down due to damage and reported disruptions to various online services within Russia.
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Soon after, commentators on social media began reporting an alleged decrease in activity by “Russian bots” online, linking this to Ukrainian strikes on Yandex.
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President Volodymyr Zelensky even alluded to this in his address to the Warsaw Security Forum, saying it is “a little easier to breathe on many social media platforms.”
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Yet bey...
- Title
- Why holding elections during wartime could backfire on Ukraine
- Runtime
- 1:03
- Date posted
- 11 days ago
- Description
- Holding wartime elections risks creating deep internal division and eroding public trust, according to Ukrainian journalist, publicist, and serviceman Pavlo Kazarin.
Speaking with the Kyiv Independent, Kazarin warns that holding elections under martial law could produce a new government that society sees as even less legitimate than the current one.
- Title
- Russian drone strikes educational building in Rivne, injures 20
- Runtime
- 0:13
- Date posted
- 11 days ago
- Description
- A Russian drone struck an educational facility in the northwestern city of Rivne, injuring 20 people, Oleksandr Koval, head of Rivne Oblast Military Administration, said on Oct. 13.
The drone strike damaged the second floor of the building, Koval said. Of the 20 injured, one is in critical condition, while three others are in moderate condition, he said.
According to Koval, the fire in the building had been contained, and emergency services were on site.
“All victims are receiving medical assistance. Rescuers, police, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), and municipal services are working at the scene,” Koval said.
Around 10:35 a.m., Ukraine’s air force had reported a jet-powered drone flying over Rivne. The air alert was issued in the city at 10:10 a.m.
Video: Oleksandr Koval / Telegram.
- Title
- Russian drone hits 25-story Kyiv apartment block
- Runtime
- 0:25
- Date posted
- 12 days ago
- Description
- Russian drone attacks hit Kyiv twice on Oct. 12, killing one person and injuring at least 14 others, city authorities said.
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During an evening attack, a Russian drone struck a 25-story residential building in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi District, according to the Kyiv City Military Administration.
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A woman was killed in the strike, while 11 people were injured, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
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Earlier in the day, Russia launched a drone attack on Kyiv, injuring three people, including an elderly woman.
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Video: The Kyiv Independent
- Title
- How Trump’s claims about ending Russia’s war have changed
- Runtime
- 0:18
- Date posted
- 12 days ago
- Description
- During his 2024 election campaign, U.S. President Donald Trump promised to end Russia’s war against Ukraine within 24 hours. After returning to the White House, he repeatedly said a peace deal was close.
Over the past year, Trump’s mediation has continued to follow a familiar cycle of declarations of progress, frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and renewed pressure on Ukraine to accept concessions.
In October 2025, Trump's administration sanctioned Russia’s two largest oil companies to pressure Moscow into agreeing to a ceasefire. A year later, Trump struck a diesel supply deal with Putin, easing sanctions on Russian fuel while demanding that Ukraine stop attacking Russian refineries.
On Oct. 10, Trump said Ukraine should get a “new president” and accused President Volodymyr Zelensky of wanting to “make problems for the world,” blaming Ukrainian refinery strikes for diesel shortages.
Zelensky has said ...
