It's been about six months since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. In those dark early days of the war, it seemed highly unlikely that Ukraine would still be an independent nation half a year later.
Yet here we are, with the brave Ukrainians basically fighting Russia to a standstill. So let's remember Ukraine -- today, tomorrow, every day.
If Ukraine continues to get strong support from the United States and our allies, there's a very good chance that before too long Putin and his Kremlin cronies will realize that the price of waging their unprovoked war against Ukraine isn't worth the loss of life, sanctions, international condemnation, harm to the Russian economy, and other problems Russia is facing.
The Ukrainian people won't give up their fight. The only way they lose this war is if key supporters, notably the United States, tire of supplying aid to Ukraine and punishing Russia. So preserving American public opinion in favor of Ukraine is crucial.
One way I remember Ukraine is by following The Kyiv Independent on Twitter. For more in-depth coverage of how the war is going, there's The Kyiv Independent web site. How this publication came to be makes for some interesting and inspiring reading in the About section.
The Kyiv Independent is Ukraine’s English-language media outlet, created by journalists who were fired from the Kyiv Post for defending editorial independence.
The Kyiv Post, Ukraine’s global voice, went silent on Nov. 8, 2021, days after celebrating the 26th year of its uninterrupted run.
The publication was shut down by the owner in his attempt to take full control of the newsroom that has always followed the principle of editorial independence.
Yet, the editorial team of the independent Kyiv Post refused to be silenced. If we couldn’t save the Kyiv Post brand, we could save its values.
On Nov. 11, 2021, over 30 ex-Kyiv Post employees decided to continue the Kyiv Post’s legacy by launching a new publication – the Kyiv Independent.
The following values will serve as the backbone of the Kyiv Independent:
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- The new publication will serve its readers and community, and nobody else.
- The Kyiv Independent won’t be dependent on a rich owner or an oligarch. The publication will depend on fundraising from readers and donors and later on, commercial activities.
- The newsroom will decide and execute the publication’s editorial policy in the community’s best interests. Attempts to influence it from outside will not be tolerated.
- The Kyiv Independent will always be at least partly owned by its journalists.
- The Kyiv Independent will strive to reach financial sustainability to preserve its independence in the future.
The team unanimously chose Olga Rudenko, former deputy chief editor at the Kyiv Post, who dedicated 10 years to the brand, to lead the new publication as editor-in-chief.
The Kyiv Independent is still in the making. The website you see is our first, temporary platform.
As we embark on this new project, we vow to serve as the true, independent voice of Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent provides fair and reliable news on a variety of topics. From Russia’s war against Ukraine and disinformation campaigns to the ongoing pandemic and medical procurement, from human rights in occupied Donbas and Crimea to reforms in Kyiv, nothing will escape the view of the Kyiv Independent.
But we can only do it together with you. Join us today and become a part of Ukraine’s fight for a better future with the Kyiv Independent.
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