We premiered a documentary about Russia's systemic torture: Here’s what you helped us do this week (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community members,

Thank you for your continued support.

Today, our War Crimes Investigations Unit premiered their most recent documentary "Torture Culture" in Kyiv. Pictured above is a photo from the premiere in Kyiv's Zhovten Cinema.

The documentary investigates the systematic torture of Ukrainian civilians in Russian captivity, interviewing men and women who were detained and tortured in both Ukraine and Russia and explaining the historical roots of Russian torture practices — from Chechnya to the Gulag system and Soviet-era repression in Western Ukraine.

You can watch the documentary on our YouTube channel for free, here, and we also encourage you to share it within your own communities.

We'd also like to give a warm welcome to the 537 new members who joined this week. It's thanks to readers like you that our work is possible.

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

Our most widely read story was about how Ukraine is pushed to the margins at this year's Winter Olympics. Kateryna Hodunova's story explains how Russian and Belarusian athletes are still allowed to compete and why Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych protests Russia's war at the games. Read more about Heraskevych's story here.

We reported on the Belarusian woman at the center of Epstein’s final days. Maria Yeryoma's article takes a look at the Epstein files and Epstein's personal connection to 36-year-old Belarusian national Karyna Shuliak — the last person Epstein talked to outside prison before committing suicide.

We analyzed what Ukraine's "opening" of weapons exports really means. Kollen Post's article breaks down what Zelensky's announcement of Ukraine's plans to open 10 offices for weapons export in the EU this year really means for Europe.

We published a video explainer about why Ukraine refuses to abandon Pokrovsk. Francis Farrell sits down with the head of public affairs for the 7th Rapid Response Corps who explains the battle for Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad in Donetsk Oblast, why the cities have never been encircled, and how “gray zones” complicate Ukrainian logistics.

Can Ukraine survive without the US — and can Europe fill the gap? Martin Fornusek's article explains that while full halt in U.S. support would not mean an immediate defeat for Ukraine, it might strengthen Russia in its belief that time is on its side.

We also analyzed Russia's endgame in Ukraine. Tim Zadorozhnyy's article breaks down what Moscow actually wants based on what trilateral talks in January and again in early February — with another round expected next week — and how the Kremlin has used the same period to restate its position.

We wrote about Academy Award-nominated documentary "Mr. Nobody Against Putin." Kate Tsurkan's review takes a look at the documentary — made by a school videographer in the industrial town of Karabash — shows how the school requires students to produce propaganda and the uncomfortable truths of wartime Russia.

We also wrote about the women defending Ukraine. Asami Terajima's story highlights four Ukrainian women killed defending their country, interviewing their comrades and people who knew them.

Finally, we also published an op-ed about why we need to stop calling Ukrainians resilient. Elsa Court argues why "resiliency" may not be inappropriate, writing "The continued repetition of a resilience narrative is also damaging because it slowly softens outsiders’ comprehension of what war is over time."

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