We reported from Donetsk Oblast — as Russia closes in on the Pokrovsk front: Here’s what you helped us cover this week (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community members,

Thank you for your continued support.

While it's still pretty chilly here in Kyiv, the weather is slowly starting to warm up, and we're looking forward to the spring after a cold winter.

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who made a donation to our winter support fundraiser — we raised $80,000, greatly surpassing our original goal of $25,000.

We have allocated funds to keep our team warm — covering the cost of operating our generator and buying portable power stations, battery-powered lamps, and space heaters for our team members.

In addition, we’re also using the money we raised to fund temporary relocations in safer (and warmer) countries. We will use any funds left from the winter support project to fund our mental health support program, so our team members can receive psychological care.

Thank you for your help and for your generosity.

We'd also like to give a warm welcome to the 428 new members who joined this week. We truly wouldn't be here without members like you!

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

We reported from the Pokrovsk front in Donetsk Oblast, as Russia closes in. Asami Terajima's field report looks at how Ukrainian infantry continue fighting from a key logistics hub, Myrnohrad, three miles northeast of Pokrovsk. The Pokrovsk front currently faces the fiercest fighting, as Russia ramped up its offensive in late 2025 to try to finally capture the city. Pictured above are dragon’s teeth defensive fortifications in Donetsk Oblast, taken by Patryk Jaracz for the Kyiv Independent.

We analyzed the unfinished corps system, something key for Ukraine's front-line stability. Francis Farrell's analysis takes a deep look at the mixed results and the continuing transition to a system where — instead of holding Ukraine's 1,000+ km-long front line in an overstretched and chaotic string — 3-6 brigades would unite in command groups, under a new corps leadership structure that would be directly responsible for their units.

How many soldiers can the Kremlin send to war? Our most read story this week was an opinion piece about Russia's mobilization arithmetic. Liubov Tsybulska breaks down how many more people Russia needs to mobilize to maintain the current pace of offensive operations — and how the Kremlin might do it.

We investigated torture and abuse in a Brazilian-led foreign fighter unit. Jared Goyette's article investigates the death of a 24-year-old Brazilian recruit and the allegations that Advanced Company — the unit he served in — regularly uses brutal punishments and torture against recruits, including burnings, beatings, and waterboarding.

We also investigated the European companies keeping Russia's war machine going. The investigation reveals how Russian private companies continue to use European logistics network to import motor oil additives, lubricants, and large volumes of glycerin into Russia. This trade, which has only grown since the full-scale war began, exposes a sanctions gap, as these materials are key to operate heavy machinery and to synthesize explosives in ammunition, things needed for Russia to continue its war.

We published another investigation into the use of European technologies in Russian drones. This joint investigation coordinated by the Kyiv Independent and the OCCRP traced European components in Russian mass-produced Geran-2 drones, which have been used in the attacks that destroyed much of Ukraine's power grid, and shows that European goods can still be incorporated into Russian weapons systems.

We also wrote about how winter has harmed Ukraine's air defense capabilities. Kollen Post's article explains how weather conditions and the limits of the drone components themselves have essentially grounded Ukraine's interceptor drones.

We interviewed Bill Browder, a financier and a longtime advocate for sanctions against Russia. Martin Fornusek sits down to speak with Browder about why Western sanctions have so far failed to change Putin's behavior, and why one remaining loophole — oil exports — is so critical.

We have a small favor to ask, from our social media department. The anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion is on Feb. 24 — and there will be marches held around the world in support of Ukraine. If you’re planning to attend any event, we’d love to see it. Feel free to share your photos and videos here on our community Discord or you can email our head of social media Liza (l.nechyporuk@kyivindependent.com) — we may feature some of them in our coverage (with credit, of course). And, if you have any of the Kyiv Independent merch, it would mean a lot to see you wearing it at the rally. Your support helps show that independent journalism and Ukraine are not standing alone.

Finally, to end on a positive note, last month we featured Starenki, an organization that helps vulnerable elderly people, in the "How to Help Ukraine" newsletter. At the time of publication, Starenki was responding to the energy crisis in Kyiv, delivering 80-100 care packages per week, making sure that each recipient received non-perishable food and also items to stay warm. Our community donated about $6,000 for Starenki, just under the amount of their current weekly operating cost. We'd like to say thank you to everyone who made a donation and who reads this newsletter — we're grateful you're with us.

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