In the heart of Kharkiv, Kharkiv Theater for Children and Youth performs in bomb shelters under constant threats of Russian attacks. The Kyiv Independent visited one of the theater's performances in late June to meet the dedicated actors and their no less dedicated audience.
Olena Makarenko is a Kyiv-based journalist and documentary filmmaker. Since November 2015, Olena has been covering the events in Ukraine for foreign audiences. She has authored two short documentaries: “The Court” (2018) about establishing the Anti-Corruption Court in Ukraine and “Life-Long City” about an activist in Kryvyi Rih.Read more
The U.S. first raised the prospect of shutting off Starlink service after Zelensky rejected the deal presented on Feb. 12. Starlink terminals are critical in securing Ukraine's battlefield communications.
The new U.S. resolution mourns the casualties of the "Russia-Ukraine conflict" and "implores a swift end" to hostilities, according to a draft obtained by Reuters.
"Russia attacked, but they shouldn't have let him attack," U.S. President Donald Trump said on Feb. 21, after previously blaming Ukraine for starting the war.
"I think (the Ukrainians) want it. They feel good about it, and it's a significant — it's a big deal, but they want it, and it keeps us in that country, and they're very happy about it."
Europe must participate in potential peace talks "not only because we are the biggest donors but because Ukraine is a European country fighting for our values and freedom," Austrian Ambassador to Ukraine Arad Benko said.
A 60-year-old man was killed at a railway crossing in Kyiv Oblast, amid a Russian drone attack on the region, the Kyiv Oblast Military Administration reported.
The Bulgarian parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of a non-binding declaration on Feb. 21 that would seek to halt any deployment of military forces to Ukraine.
Ukrainian and U.S. officials negotiated a mineral deal all night into the morning on Feb. 21 amid a rift between the two nations over the agreement, Axios reported.
A total of 91% of Ukrainians surveyed oppose peace negotiations between the U.S. and Russia without Ukraine's participation, a poll released on Feb. 21 by Ukrainian polling firm Rating suggests.
"This is the Russian narrative; this is how Putin has presented it for years, and I'm frankly shocked that Donald Trump has now apparently embraced it himself," German opposition leader and chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz said.
Russian strikes have repeatedly hit Ukraine’s gas infrastructure over the course of the war, reducing production by as much as 40% at certain periods following an attack.
"We can adjust accordingly the return to our market of those who want to return," Russian President Vladimir Putin said, suggesting potential restrictions or conditions for Western firms looking to resume operations in Russia.
