We covered the front line, the debate about election, and corruption reaching Zelensky's office — Here's what you helped us do this week (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community members,

Thank you for your continued support. 

This week, among other things, our team reported on Pavlohrad, a city in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast roughly 75 kilometers (45 miles) from the front line that once served as a relatively safe haven, but is now increasingly within range of Russian glide bombs and drones. We spoke with residents, soldiers, and evacuees about how the growing threat is changing daily life, straining local businesses, and forcing some to consider leaving. Above is a photo of our reporters Asami Terajima, Nick Allard, and photographer Lisa Bukreyeva on the trip. 

As ever, we're grateful to have our members with us. We'd also like to give a warm welcome to the 249 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:

We covered the political shockwave from ex-Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov's call for wartime elections. We asked soldiers what they made of his bombshell video, and though many were supportive, we also found plenty of skepticism. Martin Fornusek, Tim Zadorozhnyy, and Yevgeniya Doluda then stepped back to ask the bigger question: what happens now that Fedorov has opened up the debate on whether Ukraine can have elections in wartime?

We debated whether Ukraine can actually hold elections while the war rages on. Chief Editor Olga Rudenko and Deputy Chief Editor Oleksiy Sorokin go head to head on whether a wartime vote is possible, what would need to change to make it happen, and whether putting elections off indefinitely could itself become a threat to Ukrainian democracy. You can watch the video here.

We reported on another major corruption scandal reaching into Zelensky's office. Oleg Sukhov reported that anti-corruption investigators have charged the president's deputy chief of staff as part of a wider probe. Oleg also reported on newly released tapes implicating the same top official in a corporate raiding scheme.

The investigation involved Sense Bank, a formerly Russian-owned bank that was nationalized and belongs to the Ukrainian state now. Oleg Sukhov reported that authorities are moving to sell the bank and dismiss its leadership amid a corruption probe.

One of our most-read stories this week was an analysis of how Russia is doubling down, setting the stage for a new phase of “total war.” Francis Farrell’s article covers what “total war” could mean as strikes reach deep into both countries’ economies and Putin edges toward mass mobilization, in what one analyst called a boxing match with no fixed number of rounds.

We looked at how Ukraine is courting Russia’s partners. Martin Fornusek reported on a diplomatic charm offensive aimed at the countries Moscow counts as friends, such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Serbia, chipping away at Russia's remaining alliances.

We explored Eastern Europe's push to revive tourism in the shadow of Russia's war. Chris Powers reported on how the region has been left out of Europe's tourism boom and on the EU's efforts to change that.

We investigated a gap between what Western companies say and what they do in Russia. Toby Woodall reported that although PepsiCo said it would leave Russia, it paid $237 million to the Russian state last year.

We looked into the state of Kyiv’s bomb shelter system. As Russian missile and drone attacks intensify, Polina Moroziuk traveled through Darnytsia, one of the capital’s most heavily populated — and heavily targeted — districts. She found modern shelters unable to withstand direct strikes, flooded basements, locked entrances, and residents forced to seek cover with only minutes to spare. You can watch the video here.

We examined how Russia weaponizes civilian deaths in the latest episode of Ukraine This Week. Anna Belokur looks at what is known about civilian deaths linked to Ukrainian strikes, how international humanitarian law distinguishes military and civilian targets, and how the Kremlin uses such incidents to shape public opinion and justify the war. You can watch the video here or listen to the episode as a podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

We looked back at Russia’s 1996 presidential election in an interview with Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia. Speaking with our Jason Blevins, McFaul explains how Boris Yeltsin defeated the communists, and reflects on the early warning signs that Russia’s democratic transition was beginning to unravel, 30 years ago. You can watch the interview here.

Finally, on a positive note, we're excited to share that the Kyiv Independent is coming to Copenhagen. Together with Altinget, we're hosting a special evening on August 26 featuring a screening of one of our documentaries, followed by an open conversation with our chief operating officer, Zakhar Protsiuk. The event runs from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and is free to attend. If you'd like to join, you can register here. Hope to see you there!

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