This week, we marked the fifth year of Russia's full-scale invasion starting — Here's what you help us achieve (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community members,

Thank you for your continued support.

Feb. 24 marked four years since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. We're grateful that you're part of our community, continuing to fund independent journalism in Ukraine, even as the war is covered less and less in international news. This week, we published a special edition of our YouTube show "Ukraine This Week" to explain why Ukraine has fallen out of headlines even as the war intensifies.

We also published an editorial, explaining that although the next chapter isn't predetermined, Trump’s theater and Europe’s fear could lead to four more years of Russia's war in Ukraine.

Thank you for continuing to pay attention and for your solidarity. We wouldn't be here without readers like you.

We'd also like to give a warm welcome to the 477 new members who joined this week. Thank you for your support!

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

We reported from Kharkiv, on how Ukraine's oldest morgue deals with mounting, war-related deaths. Asami Terajima's story takes a look at how experts at the Kharkiv Oblast forensic medical bureau work tirelessly to determine the cause of death and to try to bring justice to Ukrainians killed in the war. Pictured above, bodies queued outside of the morgue in Kharkiv, on Jan. 22, taken by Patryk Jaracz for the Kyiv Independent.

Our most widely read story this week was about how Ukraine might have a new deep strike strategy for targets inside Russia. Ukraine has increasingly reported using domestically produced Flamingo cruise missiles since November 2025, and Asami Terajima's article explains how recent strikes may signal that Ukraine could expand its use of the missiles for attacks on high-value Russian targets.

Russian vs. Ukrainian losses: What do we know about the real numbers? Chris York sits down with conflict data analyst Olha Polishchuk who tracks military and civilian deaths in Russia’s war. Polishchuk explains why neither side reports their own losses and why verifying battlefield deaths is one of the most difficult aspects of documenting war.

We explained how Russia is disrupting peace talks with strategic false accusations. Tim Zadorozhnyy's explainer breaks down how Moscow has derailed the peace process with a pattern of allegations — drone attacks, assassination attempts, nuclear plots — and explains how the Kremlin is testing Washington's reactions, seeking leverage, and undermining Kyiv's credibility. You can also read the in-depth fact check on Russia's accusations of France and the U.K. are seeking to provide Ukraine with nuclear arms here.

We wrote about how Russian workers have turned the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant into a "resort." Yuliia Taradiuk's article describes what we know about the conditions inside the occupied nuclear power plant, with reports that Russian workers have converted work areas into makeshift living quarters and that they view the assignment is easier than their regular jobs in Russia.

We spent a day with a Ukrainian solider who lost his limbs in the war. In December 2023, Hlib Benia was attacked by a Russian FPV (first-person view) drone while delivering supplies to his comrades — two other soldiers were killed, and Benia survived, but lost an arm and a leg. Nick Allard's video report from a rehabilitation center in Kyiv shows how Benia is adapting to life after sustaining serious injuries.

We also wrote about how Russia blackmails the families of Ukrainian POWs. Tania Myronyshena's article explains Russia's deliberate, coordinated campaign to contact and coerce families with a loved one in Russian captivity, pressuring the family members to commit acts of sabotage, like providing the location of air defense systems or burning military vehicles, using POWs as leverage.

We reported on the mounting concerns in Brussels over Ukraine's backslides on key reforms to join the EU. Luca Léry Moffat and Kateryna Denisova's article looks at the reforms Ukraine failed to pass and who's to blame, as senior European officials worry about progress on the key reforms needed to secure Ukraine's space in the European Union.

Finally, we’d also like to share a team update with you: After 3.5 years with the Kyiv Independent, our Community Manager Brooke Manning will be stepping away this week. Over the years, many of you have interacted with her through emails, events, and our community spaces, and we’re deeply grateful for the care and dedication she brought to supporting our members. Our community work will continue seamlessly with our team, including Asya Chernova and other colleagues who will be here for you. We thank Brooke for her contribution and, as always, thank you for being such an engaged and supportive community.

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