We reported on the critical situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant: Here's what you helped us accomplish this week (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community members,

Thank you for your continued support.

It's been yet another stressful week of news — including everything from Germany shutting down the Munich Airport due to drone sightings to Ukraine's Security Service visiting the home of our CEO — so we wanted to start off with some positive news.

Yesterday, we sent you a letter asking for help with our fundraiser: We're planning to buy the first-ever vehicle for the Kyiv Independent to help us continue our front-line reporting. Less than 24 hours later, we've already closed the fundraiser and met our goal!

We aimed to raise $20,000, which would cover the purchase of an SUV and any needed repairs — and we've already surpassed that figure. We've raised over $28,000 and we'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who made a contribution! Reporting from the front becomes more dangerous each day, and it is crucial for us to secure a vehicle. Thank you for helping us do so.

We'd also like to give a warm welcome to the 254 new members who joined this week. Thank you for being with us! If you haven't yet, you can always add yourself to our community map, here. We have over 8,200 of our members on the map, and it's definitely a morale boost for us to see so many people from all over the world stand with the Kyiv Independent and independent journalism from Ukraine!

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

We reported on the critical situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The power plant has now been disconnected from the Ukrainian electricity grid and without external power for the 10th consecutive day — relying on backup emergency generators. One expert said that "no nuclear power plant in the world has ever been in the same situation as the ZNPP," and that "it is impossible to predict anything." You can find all our coverage of ZNPP here.

This week Czechs head to the polls for a vote that could significantly impact the country's support for Ukraine. Martin Fornusek and Asami Terajima's article explains what's at stake in Czechia's parliamentary elections — including Ukraine's ammunition supply. We also reported on Moldova's elections on Sunday, where — despite bomb threats, war fears, and disinformation — the country ultimately rejected Russia and chose a path toward Europe.

We explained what's going on with the investigations into the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline. Three years after the pipeline was destroyed by explosions, still very little is known about the operation. Asami Terajima's article takes a look at how, despite arrests and investigations, the sabotage of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is a riddle Europe seems eager to forget.

We interviewed a Ukrainian teenager who lived under Russian occupation and escaped back to Ukraine. The teenager (whose identity isn't revealed for security reasons) shares what it was like growing up under Russian occupation — from Russian propaganda in classrooms to constant fear — and recounts his escape and perilous journey back to Ukraine.

We also wrote about a Ukrainian who was forced to fight for Russia's army. Yuliia Taradiuk's article tells the story of "Dmytro," who stayed in his hometown for his family after it became occupied by Russia and was then mobilized into the Russian army. Dmytro also chose to resist — and joined the Atesh resistance movement, a partisan group that carries out sabotage attacks on Russian territory. Pictured above is an illustration that accompanies the story, created by Karolina Gulshani.

We interviewed Nate Vance, JD Vance's brother, who fought for Ukraine. Tim Zadorozhnyy sat down with Nate Vance on the sidelines of the Warsaw Security Forum to discuss his experience fighting for Ukraine as a volunteer soldier, his view of the Russian military’s strengths and vulnerabilities, and Moscow’s provocations against NATO. You can read the interview here.

This week, the final episode of "Dare to Ukraine: Village" was released. In this episode, host Masha Lavrova brings everyone together for a final meal, to share stories and moments that reflect her month-long experience. You can watch the episode here and subscribe to our YouTube channel to get notifications for future episodes.

Our documentary about the mental health of combat medics "Can You Hear Me?" will premiere in the U.S. For our members who are near Washington, D.C., you can join the screening next Friday. Find additional information about the documentary here and fill out the form here if you'd like to attend.

Finally, to end on a positive note, one of our members has offered to match our community's donations to Dignitas. We recently featured Dignitas in the fourth edition of our "How to help Ukraine" newsletter. They're currently raising money for their Victory Robots program to train operators of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). Our community has already raised over $5,200 for Dignitas — and one of our members has also offered to match donations from the Kyiv Independent community up to $10,000 until the end of October! If you'd like to make a contribution, you can do so here. Thank you so much for your support. It's incredible to see what our community achieves working together!

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