We reported from the front lines, wrote about the shifting power dynamics in Russia and Ukraine, and explored how drone warfare is reshaping the future of the war — Here's what you helped us cover this week (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community members,

Thank you for your continued support. This week, we celebrated Vyshyvanka Day, which is marked every year on the third Thursday of May. Vyshyvanka is the Ukrainian word for a traditional embroidered shirt or dress. Above is a picture of a large part of our team (and some four-legged friends) in Kyiv in their vyshyvanka outfits. 

We'd like to give a warm welcome to the 661 new members who joined this week as we launch the biggest membership campaign so far. Our goal is to welcome 4,000 new members from around the world who believe independent journalism from Ukraine matters and want to support it. 

We’re doing it because, at a time when many international outlets are scaling back coverage of Russia's war, we're choosing to invest in more front-line reporting, investigations, documentaries, and stories from Ukraine that still need to be told. Nearly 70% of our funding comes directly from our community through memberships and donations, helping us remain independent, journalist-owned, and free to read without a paywall. If you'd like to support the campaign, you can also gift a membership to friends or family here.

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

We published an in-depth analysis on Ukraine’s growing advantage in drone warfare. Jimmy Rushton explored that Ukrainian drone programs are increasingly outperforming Russia’s across multiple fronts, allowing Kyiv to pressure Russian logistics, infrastructure, and even targets deep inside Moscow as unmanned systems become ever more central to the war.

We reported on the worsening battlefield situation around Pokrovsk. Tania Myronyshena wrote that Ukrainian troops holding positions north of the city are facing mounting pressure as Russian forces dominate the skies with drones and electronic warfare, making evacuations, resupply missions, and troop rotations increasingly dangerous.

One of our most-read stories this week was also written by Tania, who explored Russia’s recruitment of students into its army, after the first known Russian student recruited from a university died fighting in Ukraine. The article shows that as Russia struggles to replenish its forces, students are increasingly becoming a new recruitment pool for the war.  

Another popular story was on Russia's shifting diplomatic power structure. Tim Zadorozhnyy examined how Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has been largely sidelined from negotiations over Russia’s war against Ukraine, with key decisions and outreach to Washington increasingly handled by Kremlin insiders such as Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev.

We analyzed the impact of rising oil prices on Russia’s wartime economy. Despite a revenue boost tied to the U.S. operation against Iran and higher global oil prices, experts say Russia’s growing budget deficit and mounting economic strain mean the windfall is unlikely to reverse the Kremlin’s deeper financial problems. Also, Toby Woodall reported that mounting military costs, slowing economic growth, persistent inflation, and battlefield setbacks are fueling frustration within the Kremlin and creating new challenges for Vladimir Putin as the war drags on.

We looked back at seven years of Volodymyr Zelensky's presidency. Kateryna Denisova traced his leadership from showman to commander-in-chief and what his political fortunes might be in the future. We also published a story showing key moments from the seven years of his presidency in photos. In a new episode of “Ukraine This Week,” Anna Belokur explores how Zelensky transformed from an anti-establishment candidate promising reform into Ukraine’s wartime leader, and the impact of growing corruption scandals surrounding figures from his circle.

We also examined the EU’s newly approved 90-billion-euro support package for Ukraine. Chris Powers reported that while the funding is expected to cover much of Kyiv’s wartime financial needs, the assistance comes with significant conditions. Luca Léry Moffat wrote that access to part of the EU’s 90-billion-euro loan package will depend on Kyiv implementing politically sensitive reforms, including changes to tax policy, as Brussels increases pressure on Ukraine to improve fiscal efficiency. 

We also reported on growing concerns in Ukraine’s steel sector over new EU trade restrictions. Dominic Culverwell and Chris Powers wrote that European lawmakers have approved tighter safeguards on steel imports, with Ukrainian producers warning this move could reduce access to their most important export market at a time when the industry is already under severe pressure from the war.

We reported from Estonia, as doubts grow in the Baltics about U.S. security commitments. Martin Fornusek reported from Tallinn, where fears of Russian aggression are rising, as there is increasing uncertainty on whether President Donald Trump would defend the Baltics in the event of an attack.

We continued our coverage of life under Russian occupation. In this week’s update from occupied Ukraine, Yuliia Taradiuk reported that the safety of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remains at risk as it continues relying on a single backup power line, while Ukrainian forces struck Russian military targets in occupied Crimea, Berdiansk, and Luhansk Oblast.

We interviewed a British volunteer serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Francis Farrell spoke with a drone operator in Azov Corps' international battalion about returning to the front after losing part of his leg, why foreign fighters continue to join Ukraine's war effort, and what NATO countries should learn from Ukraine's experience. You can watch the video here.

Finally, on a positive note, this week our editor-in-chief, Olga Rudenko, received the 2026 Georgiy Gongadze Prize, a prominent Ukrainian journalistic award named in honor of the late investigative journalist Georgiy Gongadze, founder of Ukrainska Pravda, who was killed in 2000. "I truly hope that this prize will always honor journalism that is not only good and high-quality, but also courageous and free," Rudenko said. 

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