We reported on Russia choking Ukraine's ports, food supply disruptions in Kyiv, and the life of civilians in front-line regions — Here's what you helped us do this week (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community members,

Thank you for your continued support. This week, our team reported from Kyiv, where Russian strikes on supermarket distribution centers have disrupted supplies of everyday goods, leaving some shelves noticeably empty. Yevgeniya Doluda spoke with residents and retailers about the shortages, the impact of damaged logistics infrastructure, and how memories of the early months of the full-scale invasion are resurfacing as people begin stocking up on essentials. Above is a photo showing empty supermarket shelves in Kyiv this week.

As ever, we're grateful to have our members with us. We'd also like to give a warm welcome to the 330 new members who joined this week. You're giving us 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 Ukraine's race against time as Russia chokes its Black Sea ports. Dominic Culverwell examined how disrupted grain and steel exports could cost Ukraine up to 1.5% of its GDP by year-end, while routes going overland or via the Danube struggle to make up the shortfall. Chris Powers looked at the wider picture, reporting on how Russia's shadow fleet has forced Europe back out onto the water to police it.

We looked at how Ukraine's protest movement has run into a wall. Tim Zadorozhnyy reported that, with Zelensky refusing to budge on the demands that first brought people onto the streets, demonstrators are now unsure what to do next.

We examined Zelensky's visit to Serbia and what each side stood to gain. Jovana Georgievski reported on what Ukraine wanted from Belgrade, what Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic gained from the meeting, and why the visit mattered for a country long seen as close to Moscow.

We reported on a cheap new Russian weapon straining Ukraine's air defenses. Kateryna Hodunova reported on the Banderol munition, which costs far less than a missile but is nearly as hard to shoot down, and why it is adding fresh pressure to Ukraine's overstretched defenses.

We looked at a brief flicker of anti-war dissent inside Russia. Katie Marie Davies reported how Russia's anti-war opposition had just a five-day run before the Kremlin shut it down.

We published a report on why Ukraine's efforts to attract foreign investors to its state-owned assets are falling short. Dominic Culverwell examined how the government is offering hundreds of businesses for privatization, but war risks, limited financial information, debt, poor conditions, and the need for major restructuring are discouraging the European investors Ukraine hopes to attract.

We explored how Ukraine's writers are redefining the literature of war. Kate Tsurkan spoke to Ukrainian author and serviceman Artur Dron about his essay collection "Hemingway Knows Nothing" and how a new generation of Ukrainian authors is reshaping the way war, faith, and survival are put into words.

We reported on a controversial decision by the Ukrainian Air Force. Francis Farrell and Polina Moroziuk reported on the backlash the Air Force is facing after it stopped publishing the exact number of Russian ballistic missiles launched and shot down.

We followed the next step in Mykhailo Drapatyi's military reforms. Francis Farrell reported that the scandal-hit Skelia assault regiment will now fight under the command of the 1st Azov Corps, a sign that the new commander-in-chief Mykhailo Drapatyi's shake-up of Ukraine's forces is gaining momentum.

We released a field report from Donetsk Oblast, where Russian forces are pushing ever closer. Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko traveled through Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka, and Kostiantynivka to meet civilians, soldiers, factory workers, and volunteers determined to hold onto their homes as relentless glide bomb and FPV drone attacks bring the front line closer. You can watch the video here.

We published an interview with a soldier who spent 204 days holding a frontline position. Speaking with Kateryna Hodunova, “Khvoryi” describes how he and his comrade survived more than six months in the kill zone, adapted to drone warfare, and coped with the psychological strain of isolation. You can watch the interview here.

We looked at Ukraine’s 40-day deep-strike campaign. In the latest episode of “Ukraine This Week,” Anna Belokur examines whether the strikes against Russian refineries, factories, military airfields, and occupied Crimea weakened Russia’s economy, shifted the balance of the war, or changed the Kremlin’s calculations. You can watch the video here or listen to the episode as a podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Finally, on a positive note, in the thirteenth edition of our "How to Help Ukraine" newsletter, we highlighted the work of Come Back Alive, an independent Ukrainian organization that helps equip and train Ukraine's Armed Forces. Thanks to your help, we've raised more than $11,000 for the Arkan School – a training center for drone-based air defense specialists. If you would like to know more about Arkan training school, you can visit their website and donate here.

And this is not the only thank-you we want to share. Thanks to you, we have raised $69,070 for our team's mental health support program. We launched this program over a year ago to help our team to cope with the psychological impact of running a newsroom in wartime. The funds will go towards covering individual therapy sessions and access to a psychological help online platform through August next year.  

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