Kyiv Independent
Egyptian POW on fighting for Russia in Ukraine
- Title
- Egyptian POW on fighting for Russia in Ukraine
- Runtime
- 1:33
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- How did an Egyptian student end up fighting in Ukraine? A Russian passport, military benefits, and a fast track to citizenship convinced Egyptian student Mohamed Salah to sign a contract with the Russian army. Within months, he found himself fighting on the front lines of Ukraine, where he was wounded. When he returned to service after recovery, he was captured by Ukrainian forces.
In this interview, the Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell speaks with Salah about why he joined the Russian army, what he knew about the war before deploying, and how his views changed after experiencing combat firsthand.
As its army continues to face staggering losses in Ukraine, Russia turns to foreign fighters to replenish its ranks. Salah details Russian recruitment pipelines targeting foreign nationals and his experience in Ukrainian captivity.
- Title
- How 5 years of full-scale war changed dating red flags in Ukraine
- Runtime
- 2:20
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Five years into Russia’s full-scale war, dating in Ukraine doesn’t look like it used to. It’s no longer about being funny or ambitious, but whether you are actually living in the same reality.
The Kyiv Independent’s video creator, Nastia Kasinchuk, asked our team about their biggest red flags on dates right now. From calling the capital “Kiev” and listening to Russian music to dodging shelters or using enlistment as hype, members of our newsroom share what makes or breaks a potential relationship.
- Title
- Kyiv bids farewell to a 20-year-old student killed in a Russian attack
- Runtime
- 1:32
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Kyiv bid a painful farewell to Vitalina Yarovenko, a 20-year-old student and volunteer paramedic who was killed in a Russian double-tap missile strike on the capital on August 1.
"I begged. I didn't want a hero at home. I wanted my child at home. But this was her path," Vitalina's mother Nataliia said during the ceremony.
Vitalina, a fourth-year psychology student at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and an instructor with the university's military training program, was on night duty with a medical battalion on Kyiv's left bank when Russian forces launched a combined missile strike. She rushed to assist victims injured in an initial strike on the city's Darnytskyi district, but was killed alongside another rescuer when Russian forces launched a second missile.
- Title
- Inside Ukraine's 40-day drone campaign to weaken Russia | Ukraine This Week
- Runtime
- 24:19
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Did Ukraine's largest deep-strike campaign achieve its goal? In this episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines the results of Ukraine's 40-day campaign of long-range drone strikes deep inside Russia – whether it shifted the balance in the war, weakened Russia's economy, or changed the Kremlin's political calculations.
Featuring insights from Black Bird Group analyst Pasi Paroinen and the Kyiv Independent's politics reporter Tim Zadorozhnyy, Anna explores why Ukraine targeted refineries, factories, military airfields, and occupied Crimea, what these strikes reveal about the future of the war, and whether bringing the war to Russian territory can ultimately force Moscow to compromise.
00:00 Intro
00:59 Ukraine's deep strike strategy
06:48 Support independent journalism in Ukraine
07:31 Inside drone campaign
14:15 Did Russia get weaker?
20:19 Member Q&A
23:54 Outro
Watch more from the Kyiv Independent o...
- Title
- Ukraine bids farewell to search group leader Oleksii Yukov
- Runtime
- 1:54
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Hundreds of people gathered in Kyiv to bid farewell to Oleksii Yukov, head of the Platsdarm body recovery group, following a service at St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral and a procession to Independence Square.
Yukov died on Aug. 5 from wounds received during an exhumation mission on the front line in Donetsk Oblast. Yukov told the Kyiv Independent on Aug. 2 that he had repatriated over 10,000 bodies.
His death highlights the growing risks faced by volunteer search teams working under constant drone surveillance to recover bodies near the front lines. Without this work, many soldiers risk remaining permanently listed as missing in action, leaving families without answers or the chance to hold a proper burial.
- Title
- Ukraine’s last Donbas strongholds brace for Russia’s advance
- Runtime
- 36:44
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- What is life like for Ukrainians in Donbas as invading Russian forces inch closer? In this report, the Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko travel across Donetsk Oblast to document life in the remaining areas of Ukrainian-controlled Donbas.
From Sloviansk and Kramatorsk to Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka, they meet civilians, soldiers, factory workers, and volunteers determined to hold onto their homes, despite constant Russian glide bombs and FPV drone attacks as the front line grows closer.
For more than a decade, Russia's war has revolved around Vladimir Putin’s fixation on Donbas. Now, as Russian forces push deeper into Donetsk Oblast, the remaining Ukrainian-controlled cities are entering what may be the final chapter of their existence.
00:00 Intro
00:36 Why Donbas matters
03:02 The fortress belt
03:39 Life under drones
05:29 Kramatorsk flag under attack
07:53 The geography of war
09:07 Supp...
- Title
- Why Russia is recruiting minors as spies
- Runtime
- 1:54
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Of more than 1,100 Ukrainians accused of pro-Russian sabotage since 2022, a reported one in five was under 18. In this episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines how Russia recruits ordinary people, often teenagers, through Telegram and social media, offering small payments for tasks like photographing buildings. Investigators say the motive is usually money, not ideology.
The problem isn't limited to Ukraine. At least 12 minors were arrested across Europe last year on Russia-linked sabotage and espionage charges. No democratic country has found an effective way to stop the recruitment online — only China, which bans Western social media outright, can fully control it.
Watch the full video on our channel.
- Title
- What did Ukraine's '40-day campaign' against Russia deliver?
- Runtime
- 1:07
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- In late June, President Volodymyr Zelensky tasked Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) with launching a "40-day influence operation" designed to compel Russia to "end the war." But 40 days later, Russia's war in Ukraine still rages, and Russian President Vladimir Putin shows no signs that he intends to stop any time soon.
"I think the ultimate aim was not achievable given Putin's commitment to the war and Russian society's general apathy to and accommodation of the war," Dr. Jade McGlynn, head of the Ukraine and Russia Program at King's College London, told the Kyiv Independent.
But according to Ukrainian officials familiar with the planning, one of the operation's central political objectives was looking further ahead than the stated 40 days — to force Russians to experience the consequences of the war more directly with a view to influencing elections in September.
Details of what the campaign actually constituted remained sparse until it ended, w...
- Title
- Egyptian student captured in Ukraine reveals why he joined Russian army
- Runtime
- 1:07
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- How did an Egyptian student end up fighting in Ukraine?
A Russian passport, military benefits, and a fast track to citizenship convinced Egyptian student Mohamed Salah to sign a contract with the Russian army. Within months, he found himself fighting on the front lines of Ukraine, where he was wounded. When he returned to service after recovery, he was captured by Ukrainian forces.
In this interview, the Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell speaks with Salah about why he joined the Russian army, what he knew about the war before deploying, and how his views changed after experiencing combat firsthand.
- Title
- Militaries don't need more 'shooters,' ex-Slovak minister says
- Runtime
- 1:37
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Multiple Western intelligence agencies have warned that Russia could attempt to test NATO's defenses through a military provocation or hybrid attack in the coming years. The warnings come as European countries race to rebuild their armed forces and reduce reliance on the United States for their security, raising questions about how prepared the alliance actually is for a direct confrontation with Moscow.
The Kyiv Independent's Martin Fornusek sat down with Martin Sklenar, Slovakia's former defense minister, to discuss the likelihood of a Russian attack on NATO territory, the state of Europe's military readiness, and the implications of potential U.S. troop reductions on the continent.
Watch the full video on our channel.
- Title
- Ukrainian drones strike Russian oil refinery in Yaroslavl
- Runtime
- 0:33
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Ukrainian long-range drones struck the Slavneft-Yanos oil refinery in Yaroslavl Oblast, over 700 kilometers (435 miles) from the Ukrainian border, overnight on Aug. 6.
The attack marks the second consecutive night the Yaroslavl facility was hit. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the operation targeted both the Yaroslavl plant and the Bashneft-Novoil refinery in Bashkortostan, located over 1,300 kilometers from the front-line.
“Today, our long-range sanctions worked again to limit Russia’s oil profits used to finance the war,” Zelensky said, adding that Ukrainian forces also struck two Russian patrol boats and shadow fleet vessels in the Black Sea.
Video: Exilenova+ / Telegram.
- Title
- Why Europe must speak honestly about the Russian threat
- Runtime
- 1:03
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- As European nations strengthen their militaries amid rising security concerns, questions remain over whether NATO is prepared for potential Russian provocations.
The Kyiv Independent’s Martin Fornusek speaks with Martin Sklenár, former Slovak defense minister, about Europe’s military readiness, defense spending, and why governments must have open, frank discussions with the public to build effective deterrence against Russian threats.
- Title
- Egyptian POW on fighting for Russia in Ukraine
- Runtime
- 14:17
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- How did an Egyptian student end up fighting in Ukraine? A Russian passport, military benefits, and a fast track to citizenship convinced Egyptian student Mohamed Salah to sign a contract with the Russian army. Within months, he found himself fighting on the front lines of Ukraine, where he was wounded. When he returned to service after recovery, he was captured by Ukrainian forces.
In this interview, the Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell speaks with Salah about why he joined the Russian army, what he knew about the war before deploying, and how his views changed after experiencing combat firsthand.
As its army continues to face staggering losses in Ukraine, Russia turns to foreign fighters to replenish its ranks. Salah details Russian recruitment pipelines targeting foreign nationals and his experience in Ukrainian captivity.
00:00 Intro
00:24 Support independent journalism in Ukraine
00:50 Why he moved to Russia
03:11 The war h...
- Title
- At least 17 killed, 44 injured in large-scale Russian attack on Kyiv region
- Runtime
- 0:42
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- A mass Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight on Aug. 5 killed at least 17 people and injured 44 others.
The strike targeted civilian infrastructure, logistics hubs, and a train station in the village of Kvitneve.
- Title
- Eight killed at Kyiv Oblast train station after missing connection home
- Runtime
- 0:19
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Eight people were killed at a train station in the village of Kvitneve, Kyiv Oblast, after a delay forced them to miss their last connection home, according to the head of the Brovary District State Administration. The victims were caught in the strike as a massive Russian attack hit the region overnight on Aug. 5.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russian launched 24 ballistic and four hypersonic missiles during the attack, as well as 115 Shahed-type drones. None of the missiles were intercepted.
Video: Olena Zashko / The Kyiv Independent.
- Title
- Massive Russian strike hits Kyiv region as Ukraine faces air defense shortages
- Runtime
- 0:33
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- At least 17 people were killed and 44 injured after a massive Russian strike hit Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight on Aug. 5.
“The main target of the attack was the warehouses of civilian enterprises, there were also strikes on infrastructure, a railway station,” Zelensky said in a post on social media.
“Ballistics interceptors are something that could have saved the lives of those who died today. It is very important that partners realize that delays in their delivery or unwillingness to transfer anti-ballistics leads to such terrible victims and destruction,” he added.
Ukraine faces a chronic shortage of interceptor missiles for its Patriot air defense systems, the only system capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. Russia has taken advantage of the situation in recent weeks by drastically increasing the numbers used in mass attacks.
Video: State Emergency Service / Telegram.
- Title
- How Russia recruits civilians as spies across Ukraine and Europe
- Runtime
- 1:35
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- How does Russia turn civilians into spies via social media?
In this episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines Russia's covert recruitment networks and how the Kremlin systematically enlists ordinary people to carry out sabotage, espionage, and cyberattacks across Ukraine and Europe.
From encrypted Telegram channels to teenage operatives, we uncover the tactics behind one of Europe's fastest-growing security threats.
- Title
- Video shows Russian drone hunting civilian trader at Kherson market
- Runtime
- 0:32
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- A video circulating on social media shows a Russian drone hunting an unarmed civilian trading at a local market in Kherson's Central district around 6:45 a.m. The footage shows the drone circling the man as he tries to flee before the operator strikes. Ukraine’s National Police later identified the victim as a 52-year-old local resident, reporting that he survived the attack with blast injuries, shrapnel wounds, and a concussion.
The strike is part of a relentless pattern in Kherson, where Russian troops have for months used FPV drones to deliberately target civilians in what terrified locals describe as a "human safari." Law enforcement is documenting the strike as a Russian war crime.
Video: National Police / Telegram.
- Title
- The resilience of Kherson's watermelon growers
- Runtime
- 1:48
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- For Ukrainians, Kherson watermelons represent an iconic summer staple unlike any other, but Russia's full-scale invasion has severely threatened the region's agricultural heritage.
In this report, reporters travel to Bilohirka — a village located just 50 kilometers from Russian positions across the Dnipro River — to meet brothers Oleksandr and Yurii. After Russian troops occupied their land in 2022, destroying their farming equipment and slaughtering their cattle, the brothers rebuilt their family farm completely from scratch. Refusing to step away, they continue to work their fields despite the ongoing risk of bombardment.
- Title
- Ukraine already winning in one crucial way, defense expert says
- Runtime
- 24:03
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Could Russia be preparing to test NATO's defenses through a military provocation or hybrid attack? Several Western intelligence agencies have recently warned of this scenario. As Europe races to strengthen its armed forces and reduce its dependence on the United States, questions are growing about whether the alliance is ready for what comes next.
In this interview, the Kyiv Independent's Martin Fornusek speaks with Martin Sklenar, former Slovak defense minister, about the likelihood of a Russian attack on NATO, Europe's military readiness, U.S. troop reductions, defense spending, and the growing debate over conscription.
Watch the interview to understand why some European countries remain reluctant to increase defense spending, what capabilities Europe still lacks, and how Ukraine's battlefield experience is reshaping NATO's long-term strategy.
00:00 Intro
00:29 Could Russia attack NATO?
05:14 Does Europe need conscription?
08:5...
- Title
- Ukrainian FPV-equipped naval drones hit key Russian air defense assets in occupied Crimea
- Runtime
- 0:32
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) released footage showing modified Magura naval drones striking Russian military targets in occupied Crimea. During the late July operation, the Group 13 special unit deployed new sea drone platforms equipped with FPV drones to strike key air defense assets.
Video: Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR).
- Title
- How Russia recruits spies through social media | Ukraine This Week
- Runtime
- 19:44
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- How does Russia turn civilians into spies via social media? In this episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines Russia's covert recruitment networks and how the Kremlin systematically enlists ordinary people to carry out sabotage, espionage, and cyberattacks across Ukraine and Europe. From encrypted Telegram channels to teenage operatives, we uncover the tactics behind one of Europe's fastest-growing security threats.
Anna reveals what makes these operations so effective, with insights from cybersecurity expert Kostiantyn Korsun and Russia analyst Keir Giles, and explains how Russia leverages social media, financial incentives, and ideological messaging to build a clandestine network of civilian operatives. Understand why European intelligence agencies are sounding the alarm, what these attacks reveal about Moscow's long-term hybrid warfare strategy, and why experts warn the threat is accelerating.
00:00 Intro
01:04 What is sabotage?
04:17 ...
- Title
- Harvesting Kherson’s frontline watermelons
- Runtime
- 1:30
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Kherson watermelons have long been a celebrated symbol of Ukraine’s agricultural strength, but Russia’s full-scale invasion has turned once-thriving fields across the region into high-risk combat zones, destroying roughly 70 percent of the nation’s watermelon industry.
The Kyiv Independent’s Dominic Culverwell and Nick Allard traveled to Ukraine’s southern heartland to document the resilience of two brothers who survived Russian occupation and rebuilt their farm from scratch.
Watch the full video on our channel.
- Title
- Can Germany prove Ukraine blew up Nord Stream?
- Runtime
- 2:27
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines Germany’s allegations that a Ukrainian-led team sabotaged the Nord Stream pipelines on Kyiv’s orders—claims that Ukraine continues to reject. The episode explains why Nord Stream, a German-Russian energy project, became one of Europe’s most controversial, what German prosecutors allege, what evidence is publicly available, and how the case could reshape Ukrainian-German relations.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
- Title
- Aftermath of Russia’s mass attack on Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district
- Runtime
- 2:15
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Russia launched another mass ballistic missile attack on Kyiv overnight on Aug. 1, the second major strike in 48 hours, causing damage and casualties across at least five districts, including Solomianskyi, Darnytskyi, and Shevchenkivskyi.
The Kyiv Independent’s Tania Myronyshena reported from the Solomianskyi district, where residents described having mere moments between the air raid alert and the blasts.
- Title
- Kyiv hit by second major Russian attack in 48 hours
- Runtime
- 0:25
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- At least nine people have been killed and 28 others injured in yet another massive Russian ballistic missile strike on Kyiv overnight on Aug. 1.
Smoke filled the sky over the capital as multiple explosions rocked the city, the second large-scale attack against Ukraine in 48 hours.
Among those injured, 17 have been hospitalized, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported.
First responders have also rescued a total of 105 people, the State Emergency Service wrote.
Fires and damage to residential buildings and industrial targets have been reported in at least five districts of the city.
- Title
- Thousands march in Kyiv for defense reforms and dialogue with leadership
- Runtime
- 1:20
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Thousands gathered in Kyiv on July 31 for what organizers described as a “march for dialogue and reforms in defense.”
Marking 16 days of demonstrations over military leadership and policy, the march gathered a considerable crowd, well into its thousands. Organizers and participants called on President Volodymyr Zelensky to establish an open dialogue with defense advocates, accelerate systemic reforms, and ensure transparency across the military sector.
- Title
- Laura Loomer on Russian propaganda efforts in US
- Runtime
- 1:49
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Speaking with The Kyiv Independent's Jimmy Rushton during her visit to Kyiv, MAGA influencer Laura Loomer addressed her past work with Russian state-funded media network RT and explained how she fell for Kremlin psychological operations.
After years of opposing U.S. military aid to Ukraine and amplifying Russian narratives, Loomer says she now regrets appearing on Kremlin-aligned platforms, calling Russian state media's efforts a multi-billion dollar propaganda campaign designed to weaken U.S. national security and create political divide.
- Title
- How Ukrainian farmers grow watermelons near the front line
- Runtime
- 15:42
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Just 50 kilometers from Russian positions, two brothers risk everything to farm Ukraine’s iconic Kherson watermelons. As Russia’s war devastates fields across Kherson Oblast, the farming of Ukraine’s iconic Kherson watermelons faces an uncertain future.
In this report, the Kyiv Independent's Dominic Culverwell and Nick Allard travel to Ukraine's agricultural heartland, documenting how two brothers survived Russian occupation, rebuilt their farm from scratch, and continue to harvest under the increasing threat of Russian FPV drones.
Kherson watermelons have long been one of Ukraine's most recognizable agricultural products, but Russia's full-scale invasion has turned fields into active combat zones. Despite the risks, these two brothers refuse to abandon their land.
00:00 Intro
00:37 Support independent journalism
00:54 Front-line watermelon season
02:16 Why Kherson watermelons matter
02:55 Rebuilding after occupation<...
- Title
- Inside Dobropillia where death from above is everywhere
- Runtime
- 1:31
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- "Normal people don't smile when they're on their way to Dobropillia," said Vitalii Molovidov, Press Officer.
Dobropillia, a town in Donetsk Oblast, has become one of the main targets of Russia's offensive. Unable to take the city by force, Russian troops have turned to leveling it with glide bombs, artillery, and drones, transforming the once lively streets into a kill zone.
The Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko embed with an FPV drone team from the 15th Brigade of Ukraine's National Guard, Kara Dag (part of the 1st Azov Corps), living and fighting out of the city's basements.
- Title
- Russian attack destroys a market in Kyiv
- Runtime
- 2:09
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Firefighters work through the night at Kyiv's Pochayna market, gutted by fire after Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack on Ukraine overnight on July 30. Falling debris sparked the blaze — one of several fires reported in the capital's Obolonskyi and Sviatoshynskyi districts. By morning, vendors were combing through the wreckage for anything that survived.
"You spend 20 years collecting, searching, looking for these things. And now we have been left with nothing. All of the merchandise burned," Svitlana, 63, told the Kyiv Independent.
Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported that one person was killed and two others injured in the capital amid the attack. The strike killed at least eight people and injured more than 30 others across Ukraine, officials said, with strikes also reported in Lviv, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Kyiv Oblast.
- Title
- Russian missile strike tears through residential high-rises in Lviv
- Runtime
- 1:47
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Residents in Lviv speak to The Kyiv Independent at the site of a Russian aerial attack overnight on July 30 that struck two residential high-rise buildings and injured dozens of people.
The strike on Lviv was part of a mass Russian aerial bombardment across Ukraine overnight, killing at least eight people nationwide and damaging infrastructure from Kyiv to far-western Ukraine.
- Title
- Ukrainians honor POWs killed in Olenivka prison massacre
- Runtime
- 1:54
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Overnight on July 29, 2022, Russian forces killed more than 50 Ukrainian POWs, most of them Azov defenders of Mariupol, when explosions tore through a barrack at the Olenivka prison camp.
Four years on, Ukrainians gathered to honor their memory and demand justice for those still remaining in Russian captivity.
Video: Francis Farrell / The Kyiv Independent.
- Title
- 8 killed across Ukraine as Russia launches a massive overnight attack
- Runtime
- 0:38
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- On July 30, Russia launched a massive countrywide missile and drone attack on Ukraine, killing at least eight people, including two children.
Strikes damaged residential buildings and critical infrastructure across Kyiv, Lviv, Kryvyi Rih, and Poltava Oblast, with rescue operations still underway.
Videos: State Emergency Services; Andriy Sadovyi / Telegram; Volodymyr Zelensky / Telegram
- Title
- Laura Loomer on her U-turn on Ukraine
- Runtime
- 1:14
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Kyiv Independent’s Jimmy Rushton speaks with MAGA influencer Laura Loomer during her visit to Kyiv about the dramatic shift in her stance on Ukraine after years of opposing U.S. military aid to the country, spreading Russian propaganda narratives, and cooperating with Russian state media outlets such as Russia Today (RT).
- Title
- Ex-Azov Chief of Staff Bohdan Krotevych: "We need to stop promising that we'll win tomorrow"
- Runtime
- 1:38
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Bohdan Krotevych, former chief of staff of the Azov Brigade, spoke with The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell following a major shake-up in Ukraine’s military leadership. In the interview, Krotevych addresses the army’s manpower crisis, upcoming reforms under new Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi, and the crucial steps needed to restore public trust.
- Title
- Laura Loomer on how she fell for Russian propaganda
- Runtime
- 33:58
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Kyiv Independent’s Jimmy Rushton speaks with MAGA influencer Laura Loomer during her visit to Kyiv about the dramatic shift in her stance on Ukraine after years of opposing U.S. military aid to the country, spreading Russian propaganda narratives, and cooperating with Russian state media outlets such as Russia Today (RT). Loomer shares her experience of visiting Ukraine and meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky. She also explains why she believes she was misled by Russian propaganda, why she now supports sending Patriot air defense interceptors to Ukraine, her views on U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach to Russia and Vladimir Putin, and why she believes prominent voices on the American right have underestimated the threat posed by the Kremlin.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=video_interview_lauraloomer&utm_medium=lauraloom...
- Title
- Remembering Ukrainian POWs killed in Olenivka
- Runtime
- 0:51
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- On the night of July 28-29, 2022, at least 53 Ukrainian POWs were killed when Russian forces blew up a barracks at the Olenivka penal colony. Russian forces withheld medical aid from the wounded and blocked international investigators from the site. Four years after the massacre, efforts to establish full accountability remain blocked by Moscow.
Video: AP; Russian Defense Ministry / Telegram.
- Title
- War with Russia will never end, Ukrainian drone pilot says
- Runtime
- 1:00
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- “The war with Russia has been going on for hundreds of years. And it will never end,” says Vadym “Khmuryi,” a drone pilot with the 15th Brigade of Ukraine’s National Guard.
As Russian troops level Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast, the Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko embed with an FPV drone crew living and fighting out of the city’s basements.
- Title
- Why Ukraine can't afford prolonged war of attrition with Russia
- Runtime
- 1:28
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Bohdan Krotevych, former chief of staff of the Azov Brigade and a leading critic of ex-Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, speaks with the Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell about the leadership shake-up that brought Mykhailo Drapatyi to power — and the manpower crisis still facing Ukraine’s army.
“If you think this is a war of attrition, then we’ll be the ones worn out first,” Krotevych says.
Watch the full video at the link in bio.
- Title
- 'No operational vision' – ex-Azov officer on Oleksandr Syrskyi
- Runtime
- 1:33
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell speaks with Bohdan Krotevych, a Ukrainian military veteran, former chief of staff of the Azov Brigade, and one of the most outspoken critics of former Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Krotevych criticized Syrskyi for micromanagement and sycophancy, stating he managed to convince the President's Office "that there's only one way to fight this war, his way."
The conversation follows a military leadership shake-up after nationwide protests calling for Syrskyi’s removal.
- Title
- 24 hours under glide bombs in Dobropillia
- Runtime
- 0:43
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Russia’s summer offensive has largely stalled — except in Donbas, where Moscow keeps attacking as fiercely as ever. Dobropillia, Donetsk Oblast, is one of the clearest examples: unable to capture the city by ground assault, Russian forces have instead turned to artillery and airstrikes to level it.
The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell traveled into the kill zone to see the aftermath.
Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iuOqloKoaA&t
- Title
- Ukrainian strikes hit Russian oil facilities up to 1,300 km from the border
- Runtime
- 0:27
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Ukrainian long-range strikes hit Russian oil and export facilities up to 1,300 kilometers from the border overnight on July 27, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed.
The deep strikes targeted key infrastructure across three Russian regions, including Rostov, Yaroslavl, and the Udmurt Republic, aiming to dismantle Moscow’s war economy.
“We are executing our long-range plan and reducing Russia’s ability to finance the war,” Zelensky said.
Video: Exilenova+ / Telegram.
- Title
- Can Germany prove Ukraine blew up Nord Stream? | Ukraine This Week
- Runtime
- 17:34
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines Germany’s allegations that a Ukrainian-led team sabotaged the Nord Stream pipelines on Kyiv’s orders—claims that Ukraine continues to reject. The episode explains why Nord Stream, a German-Russian energy project, became one of Europe’s most controversial, what German prosecutors allege, what evidence is publicly available, and how the case could reshape Ukrainian-German relations.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=weekly_show_230&utm_medium=230
Your support allows us to bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.
00:00 Intro
01:12 Why Nord Stream mattered
02:03 Russia's response
03:58 Why the case is so complicated
08:51 Support independent journalism in Ukraine
09:29 Germany's main suspect...
- Title
- Ukraine is teaching NATO how modern war is fought
- Runtime
- 1:16
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Kyiv Independent's Martin Fornusek speaks with Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of the NATO Military Committee, at the 2026 NATO Summit about the lessons NATO is drawing from the war in Ukraine and how the alliance is preparing for the future of warfare. The conversation explores how drones and electronic warfare are reshaping military strategy, whether Ukraine is gaining the upper hand against Russia, NATO allies' efforts to boost defense spending, Europe's military readiness, continued support for Ukraine, and the threat Russia could pose to NATO member states.
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- Title
- Why Ukrainian soldiers and veterans joined protests against Syrskyi
- Runtime
- 1:48
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell speaks with Bohdan Krotevych, a Ukrainian military veteran, former chief of staff of the Azov Brigade, and one of the most outspoken critics of former Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. The conversation follows a military leadership shake-up that came after nationwide protests calling for Syrskyi’s removal. Krotevych explains why Syrskyi’s leadership faced growing criticism, what led to his dismissal, and why he believes Mykhailo Drapatyi’s appointment offers an opportunity to reform Ukraine’s Armed Forces. The conversation also explores the army’s manpower crisis, the ongoing spring–summer campaign on the battlefield, and the challenges of the upcoming winter season.
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- Title
- 24 hours under glide bombs in Dobropillia
- Runtime
- 26:24
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- As Russia’s summer offensive stalls elsewhere along the front, one of Moscow’s main focuses is Dobropillia, a town in Donetsk Oblast. Unable to take the city by force, Russian troops have turned to leveling it with glide bombs, artillery, and drones, transforming the once lively streets into a kill zone. The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko embed with the 15th Brigade of Ukraine’s National Guard, also known as Kara Dag, part of the 1st Azov Corps, joining an FPV drone team living and fighting out of the city’s basements. They travel into the city with a drone crew on rotation, watch pilots hunt hidden Russian positions, and walk through what’s left of a city that, just a year ago, was still a functioning logistics hub — now emptied of nearly all civilian life.
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Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=video_report_do...
- Title
- Ukrainians resume protests, demand Fedorov's return despite Syrskyi's dismissal
- Runtime
- 1:38
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Ukrainians gathered in Kyiv and other cities on July 24 to demand that President Volodymyr Zelensky reinstate former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
The demonstrations resumed after a three-day pause and a few days after Zelensky fulfilled one of the protesters' main demands by dismissing Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and appointing General Mykhailo Drapatyi, a widely respected commander, as his successor.
Protesters now say their campaign will continue indefinitely until Fedorov is returned. The turnout, however, on July 24 was somewhat lower than a week prior.
Zelensky said on July 21 that he had offered Fedorov "a prominent position in the government" focused on strengthening Ukraine's technological sector.
Fedorov, however, rejected the proposal, saying on July 23 that he would accept no position other than defense minister.
"There are only three positions in the country that, alongside the troops on the bat...
- Title
- Syrskyi is out. Can Drapatyi fix Ukraine's army?
- Runtime
- 32:11
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell speaks with Bohdan Krotevych, a Ukrainian military veteran, former chief of staff of the Azov Brigade, and one of the most outspoken critics of former Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. The conversation follows a military leadership shake-up that came after nationwide protests calling for Syrskyi’s removal. Krotevych explains why Syrskyi’s leadership faced growing criticism, what led to his dismissal, and why he believes Mykhailo Drapatyi’s appointment offers an opportunity to reform Ukraine’s Armed Forces. The conversation also explores the army’s manpower crisis, the ongoing spring–summer campaign on the battlefield, and the challenges of the upcoming winter season.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=video_interview_krotevych2026&utm_medium=krotevych2026
Your support allo...
- Title
- Military factory in Russia's Kirov in flames after Ukrainian attack
- Runtime
- 0:31
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- A major factory producing missile and aviation parts in the Russian city of Kirov was damaged in a Ukrainian Flamingo cruise missile strike that left six dead and dozens more injured, Russian and Ukrainian authorities as well as local media reported on July 24.
Ukrainian strikes also targeted logistics centers operated by Russia's largest online retailer, Wildberries, in St. Petersburg and Tver.
As Ukrainian attacks on Russian infrastructure continue to intensify, Wildberries, frequently compared to e-commerce giant Amazon, has sustained five days of Ukrainian attacks on the company's facilities over the past week.
Video: Exilenova+
