Kyiv Independent
How Ukrainians hunt Russians from hundreds of kilometers away
- Title
- How Ukrainians hunt Russians from hundreds of kilometers away
- Runtime
- 2:12
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Drone warfare has become one of the defining technologies of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Kyiv Independent’s Kollen Post and Nick Allard spent a night with a drone team from Nemesis, one of Ukraine’s elite drone units, as they carried out bombing missions against Russian positions. From an office in Kyiv Oblast, they track targets identified by intelligence, operate drones powered by Starlink, and strike Russian forces hundreds of kilometers away. The report offers a rare look at how new technologies are transforming modern warfare — and how Ukraine’s soldiers are adapting to this reality.
- Title
- Hungary heads into defining election – and Ukraine plays a role
- Runtime
- 20:46
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Hungary is heading into what could be its most consequential election in decades — and Ukraine has become a central issue in the campaign. The Kyiv Independent’s Martin Fornusek reports from Budapest, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban, after 16 years in power, is facing his strongest challenge yet from opposition leader Peter Magyar. As support for Orban weakens, his government has increasingly framed Ukraine as a threat to Hungary’s security, energy, and sovereignty to secure the public's support. The report examines how Ukraine is being used in Hungary’s political battle, how tensions between Kyiv and Budapest have escalated, and what the election could mean for Ukraine, the EU, and Russia.
Correction: At 11:42, the person shown is Katalin Novak, Hungary’s former president, not Judit Varga.
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- Title
- One night with Ukrainian soldiers flying Starlink-powered drones
- Runtime
- 1:47
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Drone warfare has become one of the defining technologies of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Kyiv Independent's Kollen Post and Nick Allard spent a night with a drone team from Nemesis, one of Ukraine’s elite drone units, as they carried out bombing missions against Russian positions. From an office in Kyiv Oblast, they track targets identified by intelligence, operate drones powered by Starlink, and strike Russian forces hundreds of kilometers away. The report offers a rare look at how new technologies are transforming modern warfare — and how Ukraine’s soldiers are adapting to this reality.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
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Your support allows us to bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.
- Title
- 201 Ukrainians helping counter Iranian drones in Middle East, Zelensky says
- Runtime
- 1:13
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Ukraine has deployed 201 specialists experienced in countering Iranian-made Shahed-type attack drones to the Middle East and Gulf region, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on March 17.
The deployment comes as Iran retaliates against attacks by United States and Israel, launching drones and missiles against U.S. bases, diplomatic facilities, and civilian targets across the region.
Kyiv has developed extensive expertise in countering Iranian-made Shahed-type attack drones since Russia began using them widely in attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure in 2022.
“Right now, there are 201 Ukrainians in the Middle East and Gulf region, and another 34 are ready to deploy,” Zelensky said during an address to the British parliament. “These are military experts, experts who know how to help, how to defend against such drones.”
According to the president, Ukrainian teams have already arrived in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar,...
- Title
- Inside a Ukrainian prison for women who sided with Russia
- Runtime
- 1:43
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian courts have convicted thousands of people of collaboration and treason. The Kyiv Independent’s Kateryna Hodunova and Olena Zashko report from a penal colony in southeastern Ukraine that holds women who sided with Russia. Through conversations with prisoners, prison staff, and representatives of the state program “I Want to Go to My People,” which allows some collaborators to be transferred to Russia in exchange for Ukrainian citizens held by Moscow, the report explores why some Ukrainians chose to side with the invading country and how Ukraine deals with them.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
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Your support allows us to bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.
- Title
- Ukrzaliznytsia gifts Sean Penn symbolic 'Oscar' made from damaged railcar
- Runtime
- 0:35
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Ukrainian railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia presented American actor Sean Penn with a symbolic “Oscar” during his visit to Kyiv. The statuette was crafted from the metal of a railcar damaged by Russian shelling.
The gift serves as a tribute to Penn’s ongoing support for Ukraine.
Video: Ukrzaliznytsia.
- Title
- How Ukrainians hunt Russian troops from hundreds of kilometers away
- Runtime
- 1:42
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Drone warfare has become one of the defining technologies of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Kyiv Independent's Kollen Post and Nick Allard spent a night with a drone team from Nemesis, one of Ukraine’s elite drone units, as they carried out bombing missions against Russian positions. From an office in Kyiv Oblast, they track targets identified by intelligence, operate drones powered by Starlink, and strike Russian forces hundreds of kilometers away. The report offers a rare look at how new technologies are transforming modern warfare — and how Ukraine’s soldiers are adapting to this reality.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=video_report_nemesisdronecrew&utm_medium=nemesisdronecrew
Your support allows us to bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.
- Title
- How could oil prices shape China-Russia relations?
- Runtime
- 2:23
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has grown increasingly dependent on Beijing for economic support and energy trade. China has taken advantage of Russia’s isolation by purchasing discounted oil, strengthening its leverage in the partnership.
Experts say higher oil prices could create new tensions, as Russia may seek better terms while China prioritizes cheap supplies and strategic reserves. Despite closer cooperation, the relationship remains largely pragmatic — with Beijing widely seen as the dominant partner in a shifting geopolitical landscape.
- Title
- On Hungary's National Day, two futures took the streets
- Runtime
- 1:55
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Hundreds of thousands of people filled the streets of Budapest on March 15 as rival political camps staged dueling rallies on Hungary’s national holiday, offering starkly different visions of the country’s future just four weeks before a pivotal parliamentary election.
At opposite ends of the capital, Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his challenger, Tisza party leader Peter Magyar, addressed massive crowds marking the anniversary of the 1848 Hungarian Revolution — a day long associated with national independence and political defiance.
But the messages could hardly have been further apart. While Orban framed the vote around war in neighboring Ukraine and Hungary’s place in Europe, Magyar cast the election as a referendum on Hungary’s domestic future and its democratic direction.
The April 12 vote could reshape Hungary’s relationship with the European Union and influence the bloc’s unity on supporting Ukraine amid Russia’s full-scale...
- Title
- Ukrainian veteran Tina Sanina walks the runway in inclusive fashion show
- Runtime
- 0:20
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Ukrainian Armed Forces veteran Tina Sanina walked the runway at Ukrainian Fashion Week on March 13, presenting a functional clothing collection for people with varying levels of limb amputations.
The show by Ukrainian brand Juliya Kros featured adaptive designs specifically developed for veterans and individuals with prosthetics. Sanina, a military captain who lost both legs in the line of duty, was the first Ukrainian woman to undergo osseointegration, a procedure to receive titanium mobility implants.
Video: Tina Sanina / Instagram.
- Title
- Russian drones target capital during morning rush hour
- Runtime
- 1:45
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- A series of explosions were heard in Kyiv on March 16 as Russia launched a rush hour drone attack on Ukraine's capital.
Air raid sirens sounded at 8:26 a.m. Explosions and air defenses were heard around 20 minutes later, according to Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground.
According to Telegram monitoring channels, up to 30 Shahed-type drones are targeting energy infrastructure. Reports suggested Russian missiles were also targeting Kyiv though this has not been confirmed.
Yurii Ihnat, head of the Air Force's communications department, later told the Kyiv Independent no missiles were used in the attack.
"Debris from a drone has fallen in the very centre of the capital. There are no fires or casualties," Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a post on Telegram. "The enemy attack on Kyiv is ongoing. Stay in shelters," he added.
Klitschko later said debris from downed drones had also fallen in the Solomianskyi and Svyatosh...
- Title
- The moment Russian drone strikes road in Sumy on March 16
- Runtime
- 0:06
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- A Russian Shahed-type drone struck a road in Sumy on the morning of March 16, damaging nearby buildings and vehicles, local authorities reported.
Video: Sumy_Go / Instagram.
- Title
- Ukrainian photojournalist on getting injured in Russian FPV drone attack
- Runtime
- 2:49
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Kyiv Independent is raising over $60K to buy enhanced prosthetics for a Ukrainian photojournalist who lost his leg in a Russian drone strike.
Today, we are starting a fundraiser to raise $63,500 for an electronic prosthetic knee for George Ivanchenko, a 25-year-old Ukrainian photojournalist who lost his leg in a targeted Russian drone strike while reporting from the front line.
On Oct. 3, 2025, in Donetsk Oblast, George and his colleague, French journalist Antoni Lallican, were hit by a Russian FPV drone. Antoni was killed instantly. George survived but sustained severe injuries, and doctors were forced to amputate his leg.
Now undergoing rehabilitation at the Superhumans Center, George has already learned to walk with a mechanical prosthesis, but to return to field photography and live an active life, he needs a prosthesis with advanced electronic components.
The full set of electronic modules costs around $80,000. The Superhuman...
- Title
- How the war in Iran benefits Russia | Ukraine This Week
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines how the new war in the Middle East could strengthen Russia’s ability to keep financing its invasion of Ukraine. As fighting between Iran, Israel, and the United States disrupts global oil supply, prices have surged — giving Russia an opportunity to earn far more from energy exports.
- Title
- The war in Iran is good news for Russia | Ukraine This Week
- Runtime
- 24:55
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines how the new war in the Middle East could strengthen Russia's ability to keep financing its invasion of Ukraine. As fighting between Iran, Israel, and the United States disrupts global oil supply, prices have surged — giving Russia an opportunity to earn far more from energy exports. The episode explores how oil revenues fuel Russia's war economy, how sanctions have tried to limit that income, and why rising prices — alongside Washington's easing of restrictions on Russian oil — could undermine those efforts.
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Your support allows us to bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.
The Kyiv Independent is raising over $60K to buy enhanced prosthetics for a Ukrai...
- Title
- Ukraine’s stalled anti-corruption reforms, explained
- Runtime
- 1:24
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Kyiv Independent’s Oleksiy Sorokin speaks with Daria Kaleniuk, executive director of Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Action Center, about the state of Ukraine’s anti-corruption reforms and their impact on the country’s bid to join the European Union. Kaleniuk discusses major corruption investigations, why some cases stall in the courts, and the political obstacles slowing key reforms. She argues that strengthening law-enforcement institutions, judicial independence, and accountability is essential if Ukraine wants to meet EU requirements and rebuild trust with both Ukrainian society and European partners.
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Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=video_interview_kalenuikreforms&utm_medium=kalenuikreforms
Your support allows us to bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.
- Title
- How Ukrainians hunt Russian troops from hundreds of kilometers away
- Runtime
- 17:40
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Drone warfare has become one of the defining technologies of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Kyiv Independent's Kollen Post and Nick Allard spent a night with a drone team from Nemesis, one of Ukraine’s elite drone units, as they carried out bombing missions against Russian positions. From an office in Kyiv Oblast, they track targets identified by intelligence, operate drones powered by Starlink, and strike Russian forces hundreds of kilometers away. The report offers a rare look at how new technologies are transforming modern warfare — and how Ukraine’s soldiers are adapting to this reality.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=video_report_nemesisdronecrew&utm_medium=nemesisdronecrew
Your support allows us to bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.
- Title
- President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the media regarding the easing of sanctions on Russian oil
- Runtime
- 0:42
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- On March 13, President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the media to discuss the ongoing defense of Ukraine and the critical need for continued international pressure on Moscow.
Zelensky warned that any easing of sanctions on Russian oil could provide the Kremlin with up to $10 billion for its war effort, urging the EU to finalize the 20th sanctions package. He emphasized that the resolve of global partners must remain firm to ensure Russia “harbors no further illusions” and is forced to end the war.
Video: Volodymyr Zelensky / Telegram.
- Title
- Is Ukraine ready to cede territory in exchange for peace?
- Runtime
- 0:51
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- As peace talks continue and the U.S. pushes for compromise, one proposal keeps returning: Ukraine should withdraw from the remainder of Ukrainian-controlled Donetsk Oblast to end the war. The region was initially invaded by Russia in 2014, has endured the fiercest fighting since 2022, and Russia now controls most of it. But Kyiv still holds a fortified belt of cities that form the backbone of Ukraine’s eastern defense. Supporters of a deal argue that time favors Moscow and that painful concessions now could prevent greater losses later. Ukrainian officials and soldiers see it differently. With layered fortifications, drone-saturated killzones, and hundreds of thousands of civilians still at stake, Donetsk Oblast is not just territory — it is the line preventing further Russian expansion. The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell explains why the Battle of Donbas remains at the center of the peace process.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukra...
- Title
- Inside a Ukrainian prison for women who sided with Russia
- Runtime
- 1:09
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian courts have convicted thousands of people of collaboration and treason. The Kyiv Independent’s Kateryna Hodunova and Olena Zashko report from a penal colony in southeastern Ukraine that holds women who sided with Russia.
Through conversations with prisoners, prison staff, and representatives of the state program “I Want to Go to My People,” which allows some collaborators to be transferred to Russia in exchange for Ukrainian citizens held by Moscow, the report explores why some Ukrainians chose to side with the invading country and how Ukraine deals with them.
- Title
- Why Russia so desperately wants Ukraine's Donbas
- Runtime
- 1:04
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- As peace talks continue and the U.S. pushes for compromise, one proposal keeps returning: Ukraine should withdraw from the remainder of Ukrainian-controlled Donetsk Oblast to end the war. The region was initially invaded by Russia in 2014, has endured the fiercest fighting since 2022, and Russia now controls most of it. But Kyiv still holds a fortified belt of cities that form the backbone of Ukraine’s eastern defense. Supporters of a deal argue that time favors Moscow and that painful concessions now could prevent greater losses later. Ukrainian officials and soldiers see it differently. With layered fortifications, drone-saturated killzones, and hundreds of thousands of civilians still at stake, Donetsk Oblast is not just territory — it is the line preventing further Russian expansion. The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell explains why the Battle of Donbas remains at the center of the peace process.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukra...
- Title
- Ukraine’s stalled anti-corruption reforms, explained
- Runtime
- 38:29
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Kyiv Independent’s Oleksiy Sorokin speaks with Daria Kaleniuk, executive director of Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Action Center, about the state of Ukraine’s anti-corruption reforms and their impact on the country’s bid to join the European Union. Kaleniuk discusses major corruption investigations, why some cases stall in the courts, and the political obstacles slowing key reforms. She argues that strengthening law-enforcement institutions, judicial independence, and accountability is essential if Ukraine wants to meet EU requirements and rebuild trust with both Ukrainian society and European partners.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=video_interview_kalenuikreforms&utm_medium=kalenuikreforms
Your support allows us to bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.
- Title
- Middle East ‘wake-up call’: Ukraine’s battle-tested experience meets global drone warfare
- Runtime
- 0:57
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Ukraine has been warning of the threat from Shahed drones and ever-increasing Russian-Iranian cooperation for years, calling for stricter sanctions to deprive both countries of the many Western-made components that are still used in the production of Russian and Iranian drones.
That wake-up call appears to have finally arrived in the form of more than 1,000 drones targeting Iran’s Gulf neighbours, hitting hotels, residential buildings, and both U.S. and U.K. military bases.
Kyiv has dispatched three teams of military experts to the Middle East following a wave of Iranian-designed drone strikes across the region. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Ukraine is sharing its “irreplaceable” experience in intercepting the low-cost kamikaze munitions, which Russia has used in daily attacks against Ukrainian cities since 2022.
Photo: Ukrinform; Viacheslav Madiievskyi; Scott Peterson; Zinchenko; Fadel Senna; Mahmud Hams; Stringer; AFP; Yan Dobrono...
- Title
- Russian drone hits civilian bus in Kherson, injuring 10
- Runtime
- 0:43
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Russian forces flew a strike drone into a civilian bus in the frontline city of Kherson.
“In broad daylight, the Russian terrorists directed a UAV into a bus in which people were riding,” Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin wrote on Telegram on March 11. “They saw who they were taking under their scope and consciously made the strike.”
Prokudin wrote that 10 people were injured in the attack. Nine were hospitalized, while a 17-year-old who was on the bus was able to leave following on-the-spot first aid.
A video taken shortly after the attack shows emergency workers tending to the wounded sitting or lying along the sidewalks. Damage to the side of a small bus, including fully blown-out window is conspicuous.
Video: Yaroslav Shanko / Telegram.
- Title
- Iranian-designed Shahed drones
- Runtime
- 1:23
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur examines how Russia and its allies have rapidly expanded the use of long-range attack drones — and why much of the world remains unprepared to defend against them.
Iranian-designed Shahed drones first appeared in Russia’s war against Ukraine in 2022. Since then, Moscow has scaled up production and developed its own improved versions, while launching mass drone attacks targeting Ukrainian cities and infrastructure on a near daily basis.
- Title
- Ukraine strikes missile control systems plant in Russia
- Runtime
- 0:27
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Ukrainian forces struck a plant in Russia's Bryansk region that manufactures control systems for Russian missiles, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during an online media briefing on March 10.
"An operation has just successfully taken — a plant in Bryansk was hit. This plant manufactures control systems for all types of missiles of the Russian Federation." Zelensky said, adding that Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi had informed him of the strike.
The strike targeted the Kremniy El plant, a major Russian microelectronics manufacturer located in Bryansk, using air-launched Storm Shadow missiles, Ukraine's General Staff said. Russian regional officials confirmed an attack on industrial infrastructure in the city and reported damage following explosions.
"The target was hit and significant damage to production facilities was recorded," the General Staff said in a Telegram post, noting that the extent of the damage was still being assessed.
- Title
- Russian Forces Hit Residential Center of Sloviansk
- Runtime
- 1:10
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Russian forces launched an airstrike on the center of Sloviansk in Donetsk Oblast on the morning of March 10, killing at least four people and wounding 20 others. According to regional governor Vadym Filashkin, Russian troops dropped three aerial bombs on a dense residential area, damaging 12 high-rise buildings, an administrative center, and 20 vehicles. Among the injured is a 14-year-old girl, as emergency services continue to clear the rubble and document the aftermath of what local authorities have described as a deliberate war crime against civilians.
Video: National Police of Ukraine / Telegram.
- Title
- The Ukrainian prison for women collaborators who sided with Russia
- Runtime
- 1:23
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian courts have convicted thousands of people of collaboration and treason. The Kyiv Independent’s Kateryna Hodunova and Olena Zashko report from a penal colony in southeastern Ukraine that holds women who sided with Russia. Through conversations with prisoners, prison staff, and representatives of the state program “I Want to Go to My People,” which allows some collaborators to be transferred to Russia in exchange for Ukrainian citizens held by Moscow, the report explores why some Ukrainians chose to side with the invading country and how Ukraine deals with them.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=video_report_womencollaborants&utm_medium=womencollaborants
Your support allows us to bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.
- Title
- Why Ukraine is allowing businesses to form air defense units
- Runtime
- 1:46
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Kyiv Independent business reporter Dominic Culverwell responds to a community question in the regular “Ask the team” segment, explaining Ukraine’s plan to allow businesses in critical sectors to form their own air defense units.
The initiative expands a pilot program launched in late 2025 that allowed state-owned companies in key industries — such as energy and transport — to organize employee-based defense teams trained by the Ukrainian military. The program is now being extended to certain private businesses deemed critical to national infrastructure, particularly those frequently targeted by Russian drone and missile attacks.
- Title
- The world isn’t ready for drone warfare | Ukraine This Week
- Runtime
- 1:06
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines how Russia and its allies have rapidly expanded the use of long-range attack drones — and why much of the world remains unprepared to defend against them. Iranian-designed Shahed drones first appeared in Russia’s war against Ukraine in 2022. Since then, Moscow has scaled up production and developed its own improved versions, while launching mass drone attacks targeting Ukrainian cities and infrastructure on a near daily basis. The episode explains how these weapons work and why they are so difficult to down. As countries from the Middle East to Europe now confront similar threats, Ukraine’s battlefield experience has become one of the few real-world case studies of large-scale drone warfare.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=weekly_show_210&utm_medium=210
Y...
- Title
- Why the West struggles with Shahed drones | Ukraine This Week
- Runtime
- 26:44
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines how Russia and its allies have rapidly expanded the use of long-range attack drones — and why much of the world remains unprepared to defend against them. Iranian-designed Shahed drones first appeared in Russia’s war against Ukraine in 2022. Since then, Moscow has scaled up production and developed its own improved versions, while launching mass drone attacks targeting Ukrainian cities and infrastructure on a near daily basis. The episode explains how these weapons work and why they are so difficult to down. As countries from the Middle East to Europe now confront similar threats, Ukraine’s battlefield experience has become one of the few real-world case studies of large-scale drone warfare.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=weekly_show_210&utm_medium=210
Y...
- Title
- Inside a Ukrainian prison for women who sided with Russia
- Runtime
- 0:55
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian courts have convicted thousands of people of collaboration and treason. The Kyiv Independent’s Kateryna Hodunova and Olena Zashko report from a penal colony in southeastern Ukraine that holds women who sided with Russia. Through conversations with prisoners, prison staff, and representatives of the state program “I Want to Go to My People,” which allows some collaborators to be transferred to Russia in exchange for Ukrainian citizens held by Moscow, the report explores why some Ukrainians chose to side with the invading country and how Ukraine deals with them.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=video_report_womencollaborants&utm_medium=womencollaborants
Your support allows us to bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.
- Title
- President Volodymyr Zelensky recorded an address from Donetsk Oblast
- Runtime
- 1:17
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- President Volodymyr Zelensky recorded an address to Ukrainians from Donetsk Oblast, thanking the 28th, 100th, 24th, and 36th brigades for defending the region.
Zelensky said Ukraine must strengthen its positions as Russian forces prepare for a renewed offensive this spring.
Photo: Kostiantyn Liberov; Jose Colon; Chris McGrath; Diego Herrera Carcedo; Diego Herrera; / Getty Images.
Video: President Volodymyr Zelensky / Telegram.
- Title
- Inside a Ukrainian prison for women who sided with Russia
- Runtime
- 14:30
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian courts have convicted thousands of people of collaboration and treason. The Kyiv Independent’s Kateryna Hodunova and Olena Zashko report from a penal colony in southeastern Ukraine that holds women who sided with Russia. Through conversations with prisoners, prison staff, and representatives of the state program “I Want to Go to My People,” which allows some collaborators to be transferred to Russia in exchange for Ukrainian citizens held by Moscow, the report explores why some Ukrainians chose to side with the invading country and how Ukraine deals with them.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=video_report_womencollaborants&utm_medium=womencollaborants
Your support allows us to bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.
- Title
- A Russian Shahed-type drone equipped with a thermal camera
- Runtime
- 0:51
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- A source in Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) has provided the Kyiv Independent with footage of a Russian Shahed-type drone modified with a thermal imager for night reconnaissance. The upgrade allows the loitering munition to track targets and adjust strikes in real time, marking a significant technical escalation in Russia’s long-range drone capabilities.
Video: Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR).
- Title
- Hybrid threats increasingly target public trust, analyst says
- Runtime
- 1:08
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Kyiv Independent spoke with Kari Odermann, a fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, about how modern security threats increasingly undermine public trust.
Odermann explains that disruptions to everyday systems can become larger security issues when institutions appear unprepared to respond.
- Title
- Ukraine has returned 200 service members from Russian captivity
- Runtime
- 0:44
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Ukraine has returned 200 service members from Russian captivity in a prisoner exchange on March 5, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. The group includes defenders of Mariupol and soldiers who fought in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
Video: President Volodymyr Zelensky / Telegram.
- Title
- Exclusive: Heraskevych on IOC's double standards toward Ukraine, Russia
- Runtime
- 1:30
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Kyiv Independent’s Kateryna Hodunova speaks with Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, who was disqualified from the Olympic Games for wearing a helmet honoring 24 Ukrainian athletes killed in Russia’s war. He shares how the International Olympic Committee decided to ban the helmet, the debate over Olympic “neutrality,” and why Russian athletes were permitted to compete under certain conditions while he was barred. Heraskevych also discusses his plans to continue challenging the IOC's decision and his hope to return to the next Olympics wearing the same helmet.
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Your support allows us to bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.
This interview was recorded in Ukrainian and features AI-g...
- Title
- How Ukrainians reacted to the latest Middle East escalation
- Runtime
- 2:39
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- After years of living through Russia’s full-scale war, Ukrainians have developed their own way of coping with crisis.
When tensions escalated in the Middle East in late February, many around the world reacted with fear and uncertainty. Ukrainians responded with memes.
It may look unusual from the outside, but for people who have spent years under missile and drone attacks, humor has become a way to process reality — and endure it.
In this video, we explain three memes that circulated widely among Ukrainians and the stories behind them.
- Title
- Exclusive: Heraskevych on IOC's double standards toward Ukraine, Russia
- Runtime
- 35:46
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Kyiv Independent’s Kateryna Hodunova speaks with Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, who was disqualified from the Olympic Games for wearing a helmet honoring 24 Ukrainian athletes killed in Russia’s war. He shares how the International Olympic Committee decided to ban the helmet, the debate over Olympic “neutrality,” and why Russian athletes were permitted to compete under certain conditions while he was barred. Heraskevych also discusses his plans to continue challenging the IOC's decision and his hope to return to the next Olympics wearing the same helmet.
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This interview was recorded in Ukrainian and features AI-g...
- Title
- Russia continues to escalate drone attacks on passenger trains, railway infrastructure
- Runtime
- 0:30
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Russian drone strikes hit two passenger trains in one day, injuring a railway worker, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba said on March 4.
The strikes come amid intensified Russian attacks on Ukraine's railway infrastructure since July 2025. Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia) said on March 4 that since the beginning of March, Russia has launched 18 strikes on railway infrastructure, an average of six per day.
"Despite all this, Ukrzaliznytsia continues to monitor the airspace along train routes in cooperation with the military. If a threat is detected, railway workers change the train route, quickly evacuate passengers from the carriages, and take other safety measures," it said.
On March 4 in Mykolaiv Oblast, a Russian drone struck an empty train that had arrived for maintenance, and one worker of Ukrainian Railways was injured in the attack, Kuleba reported.
Regional Governor Vitalii Kim said at 9:17 a.m. local time that a fire br...
- Title
- Spring returns to Ukraine after a winter of freezing temperatures and blackouts
- Runtime
- 0:29
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- As one of the most difficult winters since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion came to an end, the first signs of spring appeared in Kyiv.
Video: @thekyivlover / Instagram; Olga Rudenko; Katya Denisova / The Kyiv Independent.
- Title
- How will Trump's war against Iran impact Ukraine?
- Runtime
- 2:23
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was one of the first world leaders to back the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, which started on Feb. 28.
"Although Ukrainians never threatened Iran, the Iranian regime itself chose to become an accomplice of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and supplied him with Shahed drones," he said. "Therefore, it is fair to give the Iranian people a chance to rid themselves of a terrorist regime, to free themselves from it, and to guarantee security for all nations that have suffered from terrorism originating from Iran."
For Ukraine, the choice was logical: Iran is a Kremlin ally that has backed Russia's aggression against Ukraine and supplied drones to Moscow.
Moreover, Zelensky is seeking to curry favor with U.S. President Donald Trump and show that Ukraine is a reliable ally, analysts say.
Oleksandr Merezhko, head of parliament's foreign affairs committee, argued that this was a "rational decisi...
- Title
- Is Donald Trump a Russian asset?
- Runtime
- 2:41
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Kyiv Independent's News Operations Editor Chris York responds to a community question in the regular “Ask the team” segment, examining claims about whether U.S. President Donald Trump is a Russian asset.
While some of Trump’s positions on Russia’s war against Ukraine appear favorable to the Kremlin, there is no evidence to suggest he is controlled by Moscow.
- Title
- Why Russia so desperately wants Donbas and why Ukraine refuses to give it up
- Runtime
- 1:22
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- As peace talks continue and the U.S. pushes for compromise, one proposal keeps returning: Ukraine should withdraw from the remainder of Ukrainian-controlled Donetsk Oblast to end the war. The region was initially invaded by Russia in 2014, has endured the fiercest fighting since 2022, and Russia now controls most of it. But Kyiv still holds a fortified belt of cities that form the backbone of Ukraine’s eastern defense. Supporters of a deal argue that time favors Moscow and that painful concessions now could prevent greater losses later. Ukrainian officials and soldiers see it differently. With layered fortifications, drone-saturated killzones, and hundreds of thousands of civilians still at stake, Donetsk Oblast is not just territory — it is the line preventing further Russian expansion. The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell explains why the Battle of Donbas remains at the center of the peace process.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukra...
- Title
- Trump’s struggle to deliver peace | Ukraine This Week
- Runtime
- 0:53
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur examines why U.S.-led peace negotiations have so far failed to end Russia’s war, one year after the now-infamous Oval Office clash between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky. Since then, Ukraine has followed Washington’s lead — signing a minerals deal, accepting ceasefire terms, and backing direct talks with Moscow. But 12 months on, there is still no ceasefire and no clear path to lasting peace. The episode breaks down what has stalled the talks and whether there is any prospect of peace in 2026.
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Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=weekly_show_209&utm_medium=209
Your support allows us to bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.
- Title
- Can Trump actually end Russia's war? | Ukraine This Week
- Runtime
- 25:57
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur examines why U.S.-led peace negotiations have so far failed to end Russia’s war, one year after the now-infamous Oval Office clash between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky. Since then, Ukraine has followed Washington’s lead — signing a minerals deal, accepting ceasefire terms, and backing direct talks with Moscow. But 12 months on, there is still no ceasefire and no clear path to lasting peace. The episode breaks down what has stalled the talks and whether there is any prospect of peace in 2026.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
Become a member of our community: https://kyivindependent.com/membership/?utm_source=weekly_show_209&utm_medium=209
Your support allows us to bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.
- Title
- Trump calls for regime change in Iran as US-Israeli strikes intensify
- Runtime
- 0:45
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the Iranian people on Feb. 28, urging citizens in his video message to seize the “opportunity” presented by the military operation to overthrow the Iranian government.
He advised Iranian citizens to remain in shelter, adding that “bombs will be dropping everywhere,” suggesting an imminent larger military operation beyond the initial strikes.
“This will be probably your only chance for generations,” he said. “For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a president who is giving you what you want, so let’s see how you respond.”
Video: The White House / YouTube.
- Title
- U.S. President Donald Trump announced launching “major combat operations” against the Iranian regime
- Runtime
- 1:31
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Feb. 28 that the United States has launched “major combat operations” against the Iranian regime, confirming American involvement in a series of coordinated strikes alongside Israel.
The attacks follow a major U.S. military buildup in the Middle East, with Washington deploying warships and aircraft while evacuating some non-essential embassy personnel from the region.
The escalation also came after U.S.–Iran talks in Geneva on Feb. 26 — part of the Trump administration's effort to secure a deal curbing Tehran's nuclear program — ended without a breakthrough.
The U.S. previously conducted air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025.
Video: The White House / YouTube.
- Title
- Why Russia so desperately wants Ukraine's Donbas
- Runtime
- 14:42
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- As peace talks continue and the U.S. pushes for compromise, one proposal keeps returning: Ukraine should withdraw from the remainder of Ukrainian-controlled Donetsk Oblast to end the war. The region was initially invaded by Russia in 2014, has endured the fiercest fighting since 2022, and Russia now controls most of it. But Kyiv still holds a fortified belt of cities that form the backbone of Ukraine’s eastern defense. Supporters of a deal argue that time favors Moscow and that painful concessions now could prevent greater losses later. Ukrainian officials and soldiers see it differently. With layered fortifications, drone-saturated killzones, and hundreds of thousands of civilians still at stake, Donetsk Oblast is not just territory — it is the line preventing further Russian expansion. The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell explains why the Battle of Donbas remains at the center of the peace process.
Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukra...
