We exposed how Western components reach Russia's defense industry and reported on Ukraine's air defense shortage — here's what you helped us do this week (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community members,

Thank you for your continued support. This week, we published a heartwarming story about animals rescued from Ukraine’s front-line communities. As part of the "Finding Home" project, Anna Donets spoke with families who opened their homes to dogs and other animals evacuated from areas devastated by Russia’s war, where many pets are left behind as fighting intensifies and towns are emptied.

Despite the dangers, volunteers continue risking their lives to rescue animals trapped near the front line and help them find safety far from the war. In the picture above, a dog rescued from Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast called Fasolia (Bean in Ukrainian) poses with her owners — our own reporter Kateryna Hodunova and her partner Andrii. You can read the full story here.

We're grateful to have all our members with us, and we'd like to welcome the 694 new members who joined this week. We're currently aiming to reach 4,000 new members, and we need only 600 more. Thank you to everyone who has joined so far. It's thanks to you that we have the stability we need to keep going!

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

One of our most-read stories this week was on how Russia's recruitment system is nearing a breaking point. Martin Fornusek reported on what it would take to push Putin toward full mobilization, why the Kremlin has so far resisted that step, and what Russia's mounting manpower pressure means for the course of the war.

We published an investigation into how Western components continue to reach Russia’s defense sector, despite sanctions. Alisa Yurchenko investigated how EU-made parts are shipped to Russian factories through a Turkey-based intermediary, helping produce components used in missiles, fighter jets, and other military hardware.

We explained why Kyiv's ancient Pechersk Lavra monastery, struck by Russians this week, is so important for Ukrainians. After Russia’s attack last Sunday night on Kyiv killed 5 people, injured 35 others, and damaged Ukrainian cultural heritage sites, including the Lavra, our Kate Tsurkan wrote about the monastery's deep spiritual and national significance, its history of surviving Soviet-era destruction attempts, and the continued danger posed by Russian strikes.

We reported on how those fighting in Ukraine are facing reforms and regulations. Francis Farrell covered President Zelensky’s announcement on landmark reforms, including pay raises, fixed service terms, and a new push to recruit foreign fighters. Meanwhile, Jimmy Rushton and Polina Moroziuk reported on how private military companies are flourishing in Ukraine despite having no legal status, with Kyiv now pushing to regulate the sector as wartime demand for their expertise surges.

We took a closer look at Ukraine's drone capabilities in comparison to those in Europe. Francis Farrell’s article shows how a Ukrainian drone team defeated NATO forces in a war game in Sweden, underscoring the combat experience Ukrainian operators have built over years of frontline fighting. Chris Powers also examined where drone developers see the EU getting defense policy right, and where they say it is still falling short.

We also reported on Ukraine's air defense crisis as Patriot missile stocks run low. Jimmy Rushton reported on what alternatives Kyiv is pursuing to fill critical gaps in its air defense network, and explored the real-time pressure Ukraine faces in plugging that gap while Russian missile attacks continue.

We published a video from one of the most dangerous roads in Donetsk Oblast. Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko followed soldiers of Ukraine’s 24th Mechanized Brigade along the vital route linking Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka, documenting how Ukrainian forces are fighting to keep the road open as Russian pressure on the city continues to grow. You can watch the video here. 

We discussed the future of Ukraine’s maritime security. We spoke with Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk about how Ukraine reopened its Black Sea shipping corridor despite Russia’s naval blockade, the growing role of drones in naval warfare, and the challenges facing Ukraine’s navy as it looks toward the future. You can watch the video here.

We examined the Kremlin's influence operations abroad — and their limits. Tim Zadorozhnyy reported that despite years of election meddling across Europe and beyond, Moscow's preferred candidates have repeatedly fallen short, raising questions about the effectiveness of Russia's political interference. Tim Zadorozhnyy also reported on how the Kremlin exploited Tulsi Gabbard's biolabs declassification in a coordinated push to spread false claims about alleged U.S. biological weapons programs in Ukraine.

We also looked into the partnership between Russia and North Korea. In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur explores how military cooperation, arms transfers, and the deployment of North Korean troops have strengthened ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. You can watch the video here, or read the article by Polina Moroziuk about two years of the Russia–North Korea partnership here.

On the topic of foreign policy, we covered how the Trump-aligned movement is fracturing as the wars in Ukraine and Iran expose deep ideological divides. Martin Fornusek and Jimmy Rushton reported that debates over the wars in Ukraine and Iran have exposed a widening rift between Trump allies and a more conspiratorial wing of the movement, highlighting competing visions of U.S. foreign policy on the American right.

We spoke with Ukrainian author Kateryna Zarembo about her joining the military. Kate Tsurkan spoke with Zarembo on her decision to enlist, her reflections on women serving in the Ukrainian military, and the impact of the war on her life and writing.

Finally, we have some good news: Ukraine This Week, our weekly show hosted by Anna Belokur, is now available as an audio podcast on major platforms, making it easier for you to follow our reporting and analysis on the go. You can listen to the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Music. You can also continue to watch the show on our YouTube channel. This is a great place to remind you to submit questions in our Ukraine This Week channel on Discord for Anna Belokur to explore in future episodes. Many of the topics we cover start with questions from our members, making it a great opportunity to help shape the conversations and issues we dive into on the show. If you don't know how to join Discord, you can email community@kyivindependent.com, and we will help you.

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