We reported on Kyiv’s deepening power crisis — and how residents are struggling to survive winter: Here’s what you helped us cover this week (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community members,

Thank you for your continued support.

Kyiv continues to suffer from severe power outages and unstable heating caused by Russian attacks. We’re working through disruptions, keeping the newsroom running despite cold offices, limited electricity, and difficult conditions in many of our homes. Pictured above: bricks, a pan, and a kettle are seen as a makeshift heating method in Kyiv residents' home, featured in our story about Kyiv’s hardest-hit buildings this winter.

And that’s why we are grateful to you for being with us during this critical time. We'd also like to give a warm welcome to the 291 new members who joined this week. Our members give us the stability we need to keep going.

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

We reported on how four energy workers have died amid repairs to Kyiv’s energy infrastructure after Russia’s attacks. Yuliia Taradiuk’s story shows how keeping the city’s lights and heat on has become deadly work, highlighting the fatal accidents that claimed the lives of essential workers, including high-angle rescuer Oleksandr Pitaichuk.

We reported on Trump’s “Board of Peace” falling flat in Ukraine. Martin Fornusek’s story explains why Kyiv and most of Europe stayed away from the Davos launch, and why Ukrainian officials and lawmakers are skeptical of joining a Trump-led initiative that includes Russia and Belarus, urging Ukraine to stick with its European allies instead.

We also published exclusive insights into the high-level negotiations between Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv. Tim Zadorozhnyy and Jimmy Rushton revealed how Trump’s top envoy displayed a lack of a basic understanding of Ukraine’s political system and the war, raising alarm among Ukrainian officials. We also received a response from the White House, which issued a statement rejecting the reporting, attacking the reporter, and defending the administration’s role in pushing for peace talks. Tim Zadorozhnyy and Jimmy Rushton also reported about Russian negotiators, where Russia’s key demands are staying over Donbas and the nuclear power plant, as Kyiv waits to see whether Moscow is genuinely prepared to move toward peace.

We interviewed a Columbian volunteer who spent two years fighting in Ukraine. Jared Goyette sits down with a Columbian volunteer (remaining anonymous for security reasons) who explains why he joined the war, how foreign fighters are recruited, and the realities they face — from combat and discrimination within units to delayed pay and the personal toll on their families.

We wrote about how Russia tries — and fails — to hide its casualties in Ukraine. Karol Luczka’s article explains how access to official data is restricted, even as Russian social media remains flooded with information about fallen soldiers, and how independent estimates suggest 2025 battlefield deaths may range from at least 120,000 to as many as 200,000.

We also wrote about how the energy crisis in Kyiv is affecting pets — and how animal shelters keep operating. Yevgeniya Doluda’s story shows how a shelter in Hostomel is struggling to keep more than 700 cats and dogs alive and warm amid power outages and heating shortages, as shelters across Ukraine face a surge in abandoned animals and worsening winter conditions.

Our most widely read story this week was about Canada’s high-stakes battle over a stranded Russian cargo plane. Olena Goncharova’s article explains how a Russian Antonov An-124 has racked up over a million dollars in parking fees in Toronto — and why Canada’s legal push to forfeit the aircraft could become a test case for whether frozen Russian assets can be redirected to benefit Ukraine.

Finally, to end on a positive note: Earlier this week, we launched a “Winter Support Fundraiser” with a goal of $25,000 to keep our office warm and online and to support our team in Ukraine. In just 24 hours, we raised far more than we expected — over $72,000. We are incredibly grateful for this support. We will review our plans to see how else we can best support the team during this difficult time. We are planning to direct the remaining funds to our mental health support program, which covers the cost of therapy sessions for our team — meaning your support will help us endure this winter both physically and mentally.

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