We reported on the new threat of Russian nuclear-capable missiles: Here's what you helped us accomplish in the last week (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community members,

It's been a week. We hope you've all been well.

On Wednesday, a layer of panic was felt in Kyiv, as a wave of embassy closures and rumors on the messaging app Telegram warned residents of an imminent Russian attack. On Thursday morning, Russia launched the "Oreshnik" — a new, nuclear-capable intermediate range ballistic missile — at the city of Dnipro.

On a more positive note, we are still working towards our goal of 1,000 new members this month in celebration of the Kyiv Independent's third birthday, and we are grateful for the immense solidarity our readers have shown us. We'd like to give a warm welcome to the 313 new members who joined our community this week — thank you for your support, which will help us prepare for whatever 2025 might bring. We wouldn't be here without readers like you.

Pictured above, our CEO Daryna Shevchenko continues to work, while sheltering in a metro station during an air raid alert this Wednesday.

Here's what you helped us accomplish at the Kyiv Independent this week:

Tuesday, Nov. 19 marked 1,000 days since the start of Russia's full scale invasion. The Kyiv Independent team reflected on 1,000 days of war, with reporter Francis Farrell sharing that even now, his "iPhone suggests musical slideshows of 'The Great Outdoors: Autumn 2022,' filled with pictures of the mass graves in Izium."

We reported on Russia's experimental "Oreshnik" ballistic missile, which was used in an unprecedented attack on Dnipro Thursday morning. The Oreshnik is designed to carry a nuclear warhead and able to fly extremely long distances — from 3,000-5,500 kilometers — though there is some contention on whether the missile qualifies as an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) or an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Very little is known about the new munition, but we reported on everything we know so far about the Oreshnik ballistic missile.

Our most popular story this week was about the emerging collaboration between Israeli and Ukrainian officials to combat Iranian drones, which are both being launched at Israel from Iran, among other countries, and at Ukraine from Russia.

We investigated how Russia has been able to increase domestic drone production, despite international sanctions. Alisa Yurchenko's investigation reveals how Russian defense companies like Zala Aero — which has been able to triple its drone production despite Western sanctions — rely on imported components through a system of Chinese suppliers.

We interviewed retired U.S. General Ben Hodges on the current state of Russia's war and Ukraine's future. Ultimately, "Russia only wins if the West quits," according to Hodges. Watch the video version of the interview here.

We also analyzed the series of recent developments in the war, including the U.S.'s authorization for Ukraine to use ATACMS to strike deep into Russian territory and how it relates to Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast, as well as the fears U.S. aid will be cut off under a Trump presidency — and the ability of the European defense industry to fill the gap.

This week Belarus Weekly takes a look at Russia's new nuclear doctrine and the inclusion of Belarus under Russia's nuclear umbrella, with Belarusian dictator Lukashenko stating "an attack on Belarus is World War III."

We recently launched a new feature for members: our digital community map. We wanted a way to showcase our global network of supporters and say thank you for making it all possible. You can add your own pin to the map here, either with your first name or anonymously.

Thank you for standing by our side as we bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.