What you helped us cover this week: ‘No’ to Patriots, an ambassador’s downfall, and Ukraine's ‘40-day campaign’ against Russia (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community members,

Thank you for your continued support. We hope you are safe and well.

This week saw another Russian ballistic attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region, killing 17 people and injuring dozens more. With Ukraine facing a chronic shortage of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems (the only system that can intercept ballistic missiles), Russia has stepped up these attacks in recent weeks, leading to extensive destruction. The photo above was taken by our Olena Zashko in Brovary, a town just east of Kyiv. Olena and reporter Polina Moroziuk spoke to residents there after an overnight attack targeted local warehouses, killing eight workers on a train platform.  

After a hard winter, it’s been a tough summer, but through it all, our newsroom keeps working. We’re now aiming to raise $68,000 to fund a full year of mental health support for our team — to give the people who live through this war and report on it the help they need. Reaching this target would allow us to cover therapy costs for a full year and continue to provide this support as the team expands. 

As ever, we're grateful to have our members with us. We'd also like to give a warm welcome and thanks to the 272 new members who joined this week. We wouldn't be here without you.

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

We exposed what Ukraine's revolving door at the Defense Ministry means for the war effort. One former defense adviser told us that each leadership change halts the system for two to six months — a potentially dangerous disruption as Kyiv scrambles for crucial Patriot interceptors and kicks off defense partnerships with allies.

We published an exclusive on how Ukraine previously pitched Patriot production licenses to the Biden administration. Tim Zadorozhnyy revealed that Kyiv made the pitch nearly two years ago, but it was rejected with no explanation. Ukrainian officials say Kyiv would already have had an independent supply of interceptors had the proposal been approved. 

One of the most-read stories this week was on how an ammunition depot exacerbated the effects of a Russian strike near Kyiv. Yuliia Taradiuk and Anastasiia Kasinchuk spoke to residents of Vyshneve, a Kyiv Oblast town devastated by a Russian attack on July 6 that hit a nearby ammunition depot, triggering a powerful secondary explosion. Residents want to know who authorized the storage of explosives less than 18 meters from the nearest residential house — and when the state will compensate them for what they lost. 

We explored Ukraine's plan for a National Pantheon of heroes. Kate Tsurkan wrote about plans to build a memorial to the country's heroes on the grounds of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra — and the difficult decision of who belongs there. With no design, no timeline, and no list of names, the topic touches on the legacies of 20th-century independence movements, diplomatic friction with Poland, and how a nation defines itself amid an existential war.

We explained the downfall of Olha Stefanishyna, until recently Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States. Oleg Sukhov and Tim Zadorozhnyy traced the career of Stefanishyna, who was also deputy prime minister for European integration, after she was dismissed on Aug. 3 and charged two days later with illicit enrichment. She denies the allegations, and Kyiv is yet to announce a replacement for this crucial post in Washington.

We analyzed what Ukraine's "40-day influence operation" against Russia actually delivered. Tim Zadorozhnyy and Jimmy Rushton assessed a campaign that was meant to pressure Moscow into ending the war but left Russian President Vladimir Putin unmoved. Internal Ukrainian documents reviewed by our team indicate that 57% of Russians now report anxiety over drone attacks, and indicate that Russia's September parliamentary elections may be the real target.

We reported on Russia’s deadly attacks on Ukraine’s gas stations. Kateryna Hodunova reported on Russia’s widening attacks on gas stations, often using drones that reach far beyond the front line, adding risk to a routine task for millions of Ukrainians. Kateryna spoke to a Swedish volunteer who was caught up in an attack while refueling in a town just 20 kilometers (20 miles) from Kyiv Oblast, a sign that strikes on gas stations are moving farther west and closer to the capital.

We published a video interview on whether NATO is ready for a Russian test of its defenses. Martin Fornusek spoke with Martin Sklenar, a former Slovak defense minister, about the likelihood of a Russian attack on NATO, Europe's military readiness, U.S. troop reductions, defense spending, and the growing debate over conscription. You can watch the video here.

In a new episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examined how Russia recruits civilians as spies through social media. From encrypted Telegram channels to teenage operatives, the episode traces how the Kremlin enlists people to carry out sabotage, espionage, and cyberattacks across Ukraine and Europe. You can watch the video here.

You can also download and listen to Ukraine This Week wherever you are as a podcast. Subscribe on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

And another reminder: We’re coming to London in October. Join editor-in-chief Olga Rudenko, CEO Daryna Shevchenko, front-line reporter Francis Farrell, and other Kyiv Independent journalists for an evening of firsthand insights into life in wartime Ukraine. Join in person — or over video link — to hear about the reality of living in and reporting on a world at war. Tickets are available here.

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