The Kyiv Independent

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NATO air and missile defense systems intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran after it entered Turkey's airspace, the Turkish Defense Ministry said on March 9. No casualties were reported, though debris fell in Gaziantep, a major city in southern Turkey. The incident marks the second time in recent days that an Iranian ballistic missile has been launched toward Turkish territory. Ankara previously warned that it reserves the right to respond to any hostile actions against the country. "We once again emphasize that all necessary measures will be taken decisively and without hesitation against any threat directed at our country's territory and airspace," the ministry said. "We also reiterate that it is in everyone's interest to heed Turkey's warnings in this regard." Following the earlier interception, Ankara summoned Iran's ambassador to protest the missile launch. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned Tehran against escalation. The Middle East conflict began o

NATO intercepts another Iranian ballistic missile entering Turkish airspace

Iran names new Supreme Leader

At least 1 killed, 12 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over the past day

Ukraine has deployed interceptor drones and a team of specialists to help protect U.S. military bases in Jordan, President Volodymyr Zelensky told the New York Times in an interview published on March 9. Zelensky said the U.S. requested assistance on March 5 as tensions in the Middle East escalated following strikes on Iran. Ukraine agreed immediately and dispatched the team the next day. "We reacted immediately," the president said. "I said, yes, of course, we will send our experts." The deployment comes as Iran retaliates against attacks by United States and Israel, launching drones and missiles against U.S. bases, diplomatic facilities, and civilian targets across the region. Kyiv has developed extensive expertise in countering Iranian-made Shahed-type attack drones since Russia began using them widely in attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure in 2022. Ukraine has been developing interceptor drones and other technologies to defend its airspace. Zelensky said Kyiv has d

A recent labor-market assessment by Helvetas (Helvetas Ukraine) and the State Employment Service highlights that the shortage is further compounded by a rapidly aging workforce, particularly in the energy and agriculture sectors. To address the gap, Helvetas is mapping military specialties to civilian roles to help Ukraine’s 1.2 million veterans return to employment. The initiative also focuses on short-term retraining and expanding opportunities for women in traditionally male-dominated industries to maintain critical services. Read more: https://kyivindependent.com/war-has-drained-ukraines-workforce-but-women-and-veterans-are-stepping-in-to-fill-the-void/ Photo: Nataliia Zima; Serhii Sychov / Helvetas.

US says 'no change' in Russia policy despite allowing India to temporarily resume oil imports

Born into serfdom on March 9, 1814, Taras Shevchenko became the primary architect of modern Ukrainian identity. Nearly 200 years later, his words — calling for the “breaking of heavy chains” — remain a cornerstone of Ukrainian identity as the country defends its sovereignty against Russian aggression. Read the full article at the link in bio. Illustration: Mari Kinovych (@marikinoo) / The Kyiv Independent. Photo: Dmytro Smolienko; Christopher Furlong; Artem Hvozdkov / Getty Images.

Born into serfdom on March 9, 1814, Taras Shevchenko became the primary architect of modern Ukrainian identity. Nearly 200 years later, his words — calling for the “breaking of heavy chains” — remain a cornerstone of Ukrainian identity as the country defends its sovereignty against Russian aggression. Illustration: Mari Kinovych/The Kyiv Independent. Photo: Dmytro Smolienko; Christopher Furlong; Artem Hvozdkov / Getty Images. Read more: https://kyivindependent.com/taras-shevchenko-ukrainian-poet-and-national-hero/

These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of March 9, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Iranian cleric Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been chosen as Iran's next Supreme Leader, the country's state media announced on March 8. The appointment comes just over a week after the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, killing the ayatollah along with several senior officials and sparking a broadening war in the Middle East. The surviving Khamenei, 56, was selected by Iran's Assembly of Experts, the body tasked with establishing the succession for the next supreme leader. Mojtaba Khamenei, previously a teacher of Islamic theology, was not named by his father as an official successor — but has long been viewed as a probable candidate. Khamenei did not hold a formal role within the Iranian regime, but was closely connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Like his father, Mojtaba Khamenei is a hard-line cleric with deep influence in Iran's security forces. He has been subject to sanctions by the U.S. since 2019. Kh

General Staff: Russia has lost 1,274,040 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

Slovakia will "take up the baton from Hungary" and block European Union funds to Ukraine if Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban loses the upcoming election, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said in a video address on March 8. Hungary is currently blocking a 90-billion-euro ($107 million) loan to Ukraine due to disputes over the Druzhba pipeline, which stopped transiting Russian oil in January. Slovakia and Hungary, the only EU countries still importing Russian crude through the system, have mounted an escalating pressure campaign against Kyiv in retaliation. Fico said in a Facebook video that he plans to discuss the Druzhba pipeline at an upcoming meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on March 10. "On Tuesday morning, I will meet (von der Leyen) in Paris on this topic and ask her a simple question," Fico said. "How long will the European Commission prioritize the interests of Ukraine, as a non-EU member state, over the vital national issues of Slovakia a

Global oil prices rose to over $100 per barrel on March 8, as the war with Iran, Israel, and the United States escalates and expands across the Middle East. This marks the first time prices have passed the $100-per-barrel mark since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, launched on Feb. 28, triggered a surge in oil and gas prices globally. Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off a key transit route for 20% of the world's oil. Recent Israeli strikes have targeted Iran's oil facilities, and other refineries throughout the Middle East have come under fire. Brent futures, the global benchmark for oil prices, increased 16% on March 8, near to $108 a barrel. U.S. oil futures rose 18%, to about $108 a barrel — the highest price since July 2022. U.S. crude temporarily reached $110 a barrel the evening of March 8. U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the spike in a post on Truth Social, calling it a "small price to pay." "Shor

Ukraine deploys interceptor drones, experts to protect US bases in Jordan, Zelensky says

Who will keep Ukraine’s economy running? As Russia’s full-scale invasion continues, Ukraine faces a critical “personnel void.” From energy to agriculture, mass mobilization and emigration have left thousands of companies struggling to find workers. A labor-market assessment by Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation and Ukraine’s State Employment Service warns of a “graying economy” where workers 60 and older make up a disproportionate share of key sectors. To prevent a collapse as these specialists retire, Helvetas is working with 18 municipal vocational schools to provide short-term, market-oriented retraining. Through the “Ukraine Economic Resilience Programme,” over 85% of participants report feeling better prepared for the labor market, proving that targeted adult education is vital for economic survival. Read more at the link in bio. Photo: Nataliia Zima; Serhii Sychov / Helvetas.

Oil prices surpass $100 a barrel for first time since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine

Zelensky shares new update on liberated Ukrainian territory, says Kyiv 'more positive' than at end of 2025

Slovakia to block EU loan to Ukraine if Orban loses Hungarian election, Fico says

Iranian drone that struck British air base contained Russian technology, Times reports

The Public Interest Journalism Lab developed the audio guide "Yahidne: A Village in Captivity" based on testimonies recorded by the Reckoning Project, a global initiative for documenting war crimes. It was released on March 2, 2026, and since then, everyone can access the memories of the Yahidne community. It's not necessary to be in the village to appreciate the story, as it is narrated well enough to create a vivid picture in one's mind without being physically present at the site of the tragedy. The guide is available in two languages — Ukrainian and English. The latter is narrated by historian Timothy Snyder, with the voices of residents dubbed by historian Marci Shore, journalist Anne Applebaum, journalist and researcher Peter Pomerantsev, politician Chrystia Freeland, and writer Jonathan Littell. Read more: https://kyivindependent.com/audioguide-through-russian-occupation-of-yahidne-village-where-over-300-civilians-were-confined-in-school-basement/ Photos: AP Photo/Evgeniy Ma

"I found it deeply strange to hear arguments that 'war is men's business, wars are started and waged by men, and women should stand aside and refuse to let themselves be exploited,'" writes Ukrainian writer and servicewoman Yaryna Chornohuz in this op-ed. "To my mind, this is a retreat into the very same patriarchal narratives about women's incapacity and weakness. Because true equality also demands that we be strong — it presupposes a readiness to share, with the sex endowed with greater physical strength, the very same obligations, even at the cost of risking one's life." Read the full op-ed at the link in bio. Photo: Nadia Karpova/Frontliner/Getty Images

Ukraine's Shrike Fiber drone wins top place in Pentagon drone procurement program

After six years at the front, here is what nobody tells you about being a woman at war

The world isn’t ready for drone warfare | Ukraine This Week

Ukraine war latest: Russian attack kills 11 in Kharkiv, including 2 children

Russian attacks kill 3, injure 20 in Ukraine over past day

New Dutch prime minister visits Kyiv two weeks after taking office

The Public Interest Journalism Lab developed the audio guide "Yahidne: A Village in Captivity" based on testimonies recorded by the Reckoning Project, a global initiative for documenting war crimes. It was released on March 2, 2026, and since then, everyone can access the memories of the Yahidne community. It's not necessary to be in the village to appreciate the story, as it is narrated well enough to create a vivid picture in one's mind without being physically present at the site of the tragedy. The guide is available in two languages — Ukrainian and English. The latter is narrated by historian Timothy Snyder, with the voices of residents dubbed by historian Marci Shore, journalist Anne Applebaum, journalist and researcher Peter Pomerantsev, politician Chrystia Freeland, and writer Jonathan Littell. Lyuba Knorozok, a film and media producer with the Reckoning Project, told the Kyiv Independent about the importance of documenting and memorializing the testimonies now, even though

In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur examines how Russia and its allies have rapidly expanded the use of long-range attack drones — and why much of the world remains unprepared to defend against them. Iranian-designed Shahed drones first appeared in Russia’s war against Ukraine in 2022. Since then, Moscow has scaled up production and developed its own improved versions, while launching mass drone attacks targeting Ukrainian cities and infrastructure on a near daily basis. The episode explains how these weapons work and why they are so difficult to down. As countries from the Middle East to Europe now confront similar threats, Ukraine’s battlefield experience has become one of the few real-world case studies of large-scale drone warfare. Watch the full episode at the link in bio.

The world isn’t ready for drone warfare | Ukraine This Week

'No one thought we would get out alive' — the audioguide memorializing one village's Russian occupation

Russian drone strikes Ukrainian train with 200 passengers on board

Ukraine condemns Russia's return to Venice Biennale, calling it 'normalization of genocidal policy'

Zero deaths linked to winter power or heating outages have been officially recorded in Kyiv, city authorities have said, despite months of severe cold caused by repeated Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. As Ukraine emerges from winter, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 1 that Russia launched more than 14,600 guided aerial bombs, 738 missiles, and nearly 19,000 attack drones over the three winter months. "But despite everything, Ukrainians made it through this difficult winter," Zelensky said. Since October 2025, repeated Russian strikes have placed an extraordinary strain on Kyiv's power system. At their worst, temperatures in the capital dropped to -25°C (-13°F), with heating outages lasting days at a time, leaving thousands of residents in freezing apartments. Ukrainian energy officials warned throughout the winter that continued attacks risked triggering a humanitarian catastrophe. In a written response to questions from the Kyiv Independent, the Kyiv

On this International Women’s Day, we recognize the women of Ukraine. In the face of Russia’s ongoing war, they continue to support their communities, serve their country, and take on critical roles across Ukrainian society. Video: vocal_piano / Instagram; SLM News; Andriy Zhyhaylo; hurricanehank; Artem Hvozdkov; STR; Sean Gallup; Frontliner; Suspilne Ukraine; Aerozond Team / Getty Images.

'If they are, it's not doing much' — Trump dismisses report on Russia helping Iran against US

These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of March 8, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

General Staff: Russia has lost 1,273,290 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

Ukrainian drones attack oil depot in Krasnodar Krai, Russia claims

Kyiv reports zero deaths from winter outages — but there's a catch

Ukraine's Oschadbank seeks return of vehicles, valuables seized in Hungary

US supplying Ukraine-tested anti-drone systems to Middle East partners, WSJ reports

Zelensky points to Russia-Iran coordination in Middle East drone strikes

Russia-linked disinformation campaign targets Ukraine amid tensions with Hungary

A leader of the anti-government 2020 protests in Belarus, Maria Kalesnikava, reemerged from prison with a message that has polarized many: Europe must reengage with Belarus’s dictator, Alexander Lukashenko. Human lives, Europe’s security, and Belarus’ future are at stake, Kalesnikava argues. After suppressing nationwide protests in 2020, and turning to Russia’s Vladimir Putin for support while doing so, Lukashenko became an international pariah — one whose isolation only deepened as Belarus became a staging ground for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Kyiv Independent sat down with Kalesnikava to hear her views on what European rapprochement with Lukashenko might achieve, what happens if it fails, and where the red lines must be drawn. Read the full article at the link in bio. Photo: Pasha Kritchko / The Kyiv Independent; Ramil Nasibulin / Getty Images.

In the fifth year of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, the Russian pavilion is set to return to the Venice Art Biennale with a “musical festival come to life” that serves as “a space for dialogue and exchange.” The pavilion was effectively canceled in 2022 after the artists and curator chosen to represent Russia withdrew in protest of the invasion. At the time, the organizers of the Biennale released a statement praising the decision and condemning “all those who use violence to prevent dialogue and peace.” While many international cultural institutions initially supported a boycott of Russian culture in solidarity with Ukraine, the consensus appears to be shifting — extending even to cultural initiatives associated with the Russian government. Kirill Savchenkov, one of the artists who dropped out of the Russian pavilion in 2022, told the Kyiv Independent that he saw its reopening as “part of an ongoing culture war and some sort of active measures to cause political division

Ukrainian athletes won six medals on March 7, the first day of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games in Italy. With three gold, two bronze, and one silver medal, Ukraine leads the overall medal standings. Taras Rad secured the gold in the men's sprint sitting, and Oleksandra Kononova took gold in the women's sprint standing. Ukraine triumphed in the men's 7.5 km sprint of para biathlon's vision-impaired division, with Oleksandr Kazik winning gold, Yaroslav Reshetynskyi securing silver, and Anatolii Kovalevskyi taking bronze. Sprinter Liudmyla Liashenko also won a bronze medal in women's sprint standing. The 2026 Paralympics run from March 6 to 15. Photo: Alex Grimm/Getty Images.

Ukraine wins first 6 medals at Winter Paralympics, taking early lead

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