Protests

March 3, 2025 1:24pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Ben Borges

For decades, if not more, English speakers the world over referred to Ukraine’s capital as Kiev, pronouncing it kee-yev.

Few people knew they were using the Russian name for the city. The city is pronounced keeiv in Ukrainian and is transliterated correctly into English as Kyiv.

In fact, until recently, the names of almost all Ukrainian places and people were transliterated according to their Russian versions.

After gaining independence in 1991, Ukrainians lobbied the international community to adopt native transliterations when speaking and writing about Ukrainian cities.

Their efforts were largely ignored for several decades as Ukraine struggled to shake its reputation as a former part of Russia. The needle began to move slightly in 2014 when Russia invaded Ukraine’s east and annexed Crimea.

With the outset of the full-scale invasion in 2022, the world seemed to get the message. Most major news outlets, academic publications, and government bodies now refer to Ukrainian place names by their Ukrainian transliterations. There are still some hold-outs, however, most notably among media outlets that often parrot Kremlin narratives.  

The Russian spelling and pronunciation of Kyiv throughout the ages was no accident. While the name gets its origin from an empire that predates Russia, a series of policies by the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union that sought to Russify Ukraine and the Ukrainian language distorted its roots.

Where does the name Kyiv come from?

Kyiv, located on the Dnipro River, was officially founded in 482 A.D., although archeological evidence suggests there has been a settlement on the site for about 2,000 years.

Various theories about its founding exist — with the founders being said to be Goths, Huns, and Turks, among others — but the most popular legend credits four royal siblings of an Eastern Slavic tribe with establishing the city in the 5th century.

Kyiv is thus said to be named after the eldest sibling, Kyi, similar to how the mythical Romulus inspired the name Rome.

In the 9th century, Kyiv became the capital and cultural center of Kyivan Rus, a medieval state spanning eastern and northern Europe, from which modern Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus all trace their origins.

During the “Golden Age” of Kyivan Rus, Kyiv emerged as a political, cultural, and religious center, with landmarks like Saint Sophia’s Cathedral and the Pechersk Lavra monastery complex reflecting its importance and prosperity.

Moscow, founded at the tail end of Kyivan rule in 1147 A.D., is more than 600 years younger than Kyiv. Over the eight centuries that followed the breakup of Kyivan Rus, Kyiv was controlled by the Mongols, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Kingdom of Poland, the Russian Empire, and lastly the Soviet Union before becoming the capital of independent Ukraine.

Both the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union drew their national identity from the legacy of Kyivan Rus. Authors of Russian history and the Russian state, including President Vladimir Putin, have envisioned their control over the city as a prerequisite for reuniting a long-lost empire.

This imperial preoccupation also underpins current Russian narratives; in Putin’s view, Kyiv is the mother city of a great Slavic kingdom that is destined to be reunified.

Why ‘Kiev’?

Under the Russian Empire and Soviet Union, Russian cities, including Saint Petersburg and Moscow, dictated official language policies.

In Soviet times, Moscow required all 15 member republics of the Soviet Union to adopt Russian as their official language. The result was that over the last century, Westerners came to know Ukrainian cities by their official Russian-language transliterations: Kiev as opposed to Kyiv, Kharkov as opposed to Kharkiv, Lvov as opposed to Lviv, and Odessa as opposed to Odesa.

This lack of international awareness and recognition of the languages and cultures of individual Soviet member states meant “Russian” became a commonplace blanket term for all things Soviet.

This legacy carried on past the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Many foreign governments and media outlets continued to refer to Ukrainian cities by their Russian transliterations, bolstered by and contributing to the widespread stereotypes that “everyone in Ukraine speaks Russian” and the factually incorrect “Ukraine is a former part of Russia.”  

After the 2014 EuroMaidan revolution and Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea and invasion of Donbas, more institutions in the West began acknowledging Ukraine’s political and linguistic sovereignty.

By 2019, many diplomatic missions and English-language news outlets had switched to using Ukrainian spellings of Ukrainian proper names out of respect for the country.

Social media has also played a pivotal role in encouraging foreigners to switch to using Ukrainian names.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched the #ReformUA campaign in the late 2010s, with hashtags such as #KyivNotKiev, #LvivNotLvov, and #KharkivNotKharkov. The effort also discouraged referring to Ukraine as “the Ukraine” — which insinuates that it is a region in a larger nation, rather than an individual state in its own right.

Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 brought global attention to Ukraine and its capital city, prompting widespread adoption of “Ukrainian” spellings — or rather, since Ukrainian uses a Cyrillic alphabet, Latin alphabet transliterations that better reflect the Ukrainian pronunciation of names.

The origins of ‘Slava Ukraini’

In early March 2023, a video surfaced online showing the execution of a Ukrainian prisoner of war. The unarmed soldier’s last words were “Slava Ukraini” – a Ukrainian national salute that means “Glory to Ukraine” – before he was shot multiple times and collapsed to his death. Ukrainian officials…

The Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan

March 2, 2025 9:48pm

Protests USA

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Ben Borges

In a move reminiscent of tactics employed by authoritative figures to consolidate power, President Donald Trump’s recent establishment of a U.S. Crypto Strategic Reserve raises significant concerns. This initiative, ostensibly designed to bolster the nation’s financial standing, mirrors strategies where leaders offer superficial concessions to placate followers, only to destroy their livelihood with the other hand, thereby tightening their grip on authority.

On March 2, 2025, President Trump announced the inclusion of five digital assets—Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA)—into the newly formed U.S. Crypto Strategic Reserve. This declaration led to immediate surges in the market values of these cryptocurrencies, with Bitcoin rising by approximately 8% to $90,828, and Ether increasing by 8.3% to $2,409.

While this move appears to support the burgeoning cryptocurrency industry, it is essential to scrutinize the broader context. Concurrently, the administration has endorsed aggressive measures under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, aiming to slash federal spending. These cuts have resulted in mass layoffs and the dismantling of several federal agencies, actions that have sparked public outrage and protests across the country.

The juxtaposition of promoting a crypto reserve while enacting severe budgetary cuts is striking. This dual approach can be likened to the manipulative techniques of cult leaders who provide followers with perceived benefits to gain trust and compliance, only to withdraw support to reinforce dependence and control. By offering the allure of a national cryptocurrency reserve, the administration may be seeking to distract from or justify the detrimental impacts of its austerity measures.

The backlash from these policies has been palpable. Republican lawmakers have faced intense criticism during town hall meetings, with constituents expressing anger over the abrupt layoffs and the overarching influence of Musk in governmental affairs. Some GOP members have even advised the administration to adopt a more compassionate approach, acknowledging the growing public discontent.

Moreover, the administration’s actions have raised alarms about the erosion of democratic principles. The unilateral decisions to restructure or eliminate federal agencies without adequate legislative oversight or public discourse undermine the foundational checks and balances of governance. Such maneuvers echo the coercive strategies of authoritative regimes, where power is consolidated through a combination of appeasement and suppression.

In analyzing the administration’s recent initiatives, it becomes evident that the establishment of the Crypto Strategic Reserve serves as a double-edged sword. While it ostensibly supports innovation and economic growth, it also functions as a tool to placate dissent and divert attention from policies that may harm the public interest. This pattern of offering with one hand while taking away with the other is a classic tactic to maintain control and suppress opposition.

As citizens and policymakers, it is crucial to remain vigilant and critically assess such strategies. Championing technological advancement should not come at the expense of transparency, accountability, and the well-being of the populace. Recognizing and challenging these manipulative tactics is essential to preserving the integrity of our democratic institutions and ensuring that progress benefits all members of society.

For a in depth analysis on this now legal scam read the serie of posts from Nathan Tankus on

A Scam Built Atop an Accounting Gimmick Wrapped in Bullshit: Why Visiting Fort Knox Is Not About Selling Gold but is About Buying Bitcoin

March 2, 2025 5:37pm

Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Badra Gunba on winning the presidential “election” in the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia in a statement released by the Kremlin’s press service on March 2.

“I expect that the friendly, allied Russian-Abkhazian relations will continue to strengthen for the benefit of our brotherly nations,” Putin’s message goes on to read.

Abkhazia, an occupied region internationally recognized as part of  Georgia, has been under de facto Russian control since the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia.

Aslan Bzhania, the former leader of Abkhazia, submitted his resignation on Nov. 19 in a bid to quell mounting unrest over a proposed investment deal with Russia. The agreement, which would allow Russian citizens to purchase property in Abkhazia, fueled fears of deeper Russian entrenchment in the territory and was subsequently scrapped.

Gunba, the winner of the presidential “election,” is considered to be a pro-Kremlin politician.

Freedom House, a U.S.-based NGO advocating for democracy and political freedom, said that Abkhazia’s legal framework “does not support fully democratic elections,” but noted that “incumbent officials remain vulnerable to defeat at the polls."

Despite popular uprising, Kremlin’s grip on occupied Abkhazia runs supreme

When local council members gathered in the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia last week to discuss new measures promoting Russian investment, a group of protestors rose to meet them. The proposed legislation, which would have legalized Russian investment and land ownership in the occupied region…

The Kyiv IndependentKatie Marie Davies

March 1, 2025 2:13pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos USA

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Several European politicians that are considered pro-Russian expressed their approval for the U.S. President Donald Trump after he clashed in a heated argument with President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban thanked Trump in his post on X.

“Today President Trump stood bravely for peace. Even if it was difficult for many to digest,” Orban said.

Orban, widely seen as the EU’s most pro-Russian leader, has consistently opposed military aid for Ukraine and maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze wished Trump “endurance and courage in this difficult struggle” on Facebook on March 1.

Zelensky, Trump get into heated argument while speaking with journalists in Oval Office

President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump held a 45-minute-long press briefing in the Oval Office that ended in a heated argument about American aid to Ukraine.

The Kyiv IndependentOleksiy Sorokin

“President Trump and his peace efforts were condemned one after another by the people responsible for unleashing a bloody war and the cold-blooded killing of Ukraine and thousands of Ukrainians,” his statement said.

Kobakhidze sparked a political crisis by announcing the suspension of Georgia’s EU accession process until at least 2028 after the elections last October. Protests erupted in Tbilisi against the ruling Georgian Dream party, accused of democratic backsliding and dragging Georgia into the Kremlin’s orbit.

Tino Chrupalla, one of the leaders of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, said on X that peace in Ukraine should be achieved even without Zelensky’s participation.

“President Trump is cancelling talks with President Zelensky because he is not ready for peace. Peace must still be achieved, even without the beggarly President Zelensky,” Chrupalla wrote.

“Since the EU and Germany cannot act as mediators, the US and Russia must come to an agreement,” he added

Earlier, AfD showed support for Russian politics and has been mired in scandal after reports of its affiliations with neo-Nazi groups.

The statements come as many democratic European leaders expressed their support for Zelensky, who has reportedly landed in London for a summit of European leaders on March 2.

Editorial: A president just disrespected America in the Oval Office. It wasn’t Zelensky

It’s time to say it plainly. America’s leadership has switched sides in the war. The American people have not, and they should speak up. In the past several weeks, the U.S. leadership has demonstrated explicit hostility towards Ukraine and aligned its rhetoric and policy with Russia. The

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent

February 23, 2025 11:32pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos USA

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Ben Borges

Thousands of people rallied in support of Ukraine on Feb. 23 ahead of the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion which began on Feb. 24, 2022.

Rallies were held across Europe on Sunday, with thousands of demonstrators lining the streets of Prague, Paris, and Brussels.

Czech President Petr Pavel addressed rally-goers in Prague, emphasizing his country’s support for Ukraine.

“From what happened, I think it is quite clear who is the aggressor, who violated international law, and who is the victim, whose side we should stand on,” Pavel said. “And if we allow (international law) to be compromised, if we reward the aggressor, then sooner or later it will affect us too."

Thousands also took to the streets of Brussels' and Paris' city center to mark the third anniversary. In Paris, participants unfurled a 262-meter flag in an effort to mark solidarity with Ukrainians.

Amid the start of the fourth year to Russia’s full-scale war, European allies have grown increasingly concerned over Kyiv’s role in upcoming peace talks between Russia and the United States to end the war.

European leaders have scrambled to deliver military support to Ukraine as the U.S., under the Trump administration, races to make a deal with Moscow.

Trump has said he wants Europe to play a greater role in supporting Ukraine’s financial and defense needs, but his administration has sent mixed signals as to whether Europeans are welcome in the negotiations process.

Thousands of Ukrainian Canadians also attended a protest against Russian aggression in Toronto, Canada, in a rally attended by the Kyiv Independent.

Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s former Finance Minister, who is running to replace outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, attended the rally and touted the country’s support for Ukraine.

“In this fight, we are on the side of democracy versus dictatorship,” Freeland, who is of Ukrainian descent, said during the rally. “We are on the side of rule and order, and not bullies."

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Feb. 18 that Canada is interested in partaking in conversations about security guarantees for Ukraine.

EU preparing military aid package for Kyiv worth $20.9 billion, Bloomberg reports

The additional military support would supply Kyiv with air defense systems, artillery ammunition, long-range missiles, and drones.

The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert

February 22, 2025 3:59pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos USA

Reading Time: 10 minutes

Ben Borges

Kiril Demchenko has lived in Hungary for four years, so he knows how a country changes when its authorities flirt with the Kremlin, as Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orban has done.

Kiril says after the start of the full-scale invasion, Hungarians began to treat Ukrainians badly, especially older people who see Russia as an ally, not an aggressor.

“I saw a situation where a man in his 50s heard a girl speaking Ukrainian in a store and hit her – just because she was Ukrainian,” he told The Counteroffensive.

Could Germany be set to turn against Ukraine too?

The country will elect a new parliament on Sunday Feb. 23, and polling suggests the pro-Russian, far-right AfD party could gain record support.

Elections in Germany could change the balance of power in Europe by determining the direction of the continent's politics. If the pro-Russian far-right AfD gains significant support, it will threaten EU unity, weaken support for Ukraine, and open up more opportunities for Kremlin influence.

Germany risks repeating the path of Hungary, which has already become a pro-Russian center in the EU, which could change the fate of Ukraine and the future of European security.

Kiril is 25 years old and from the Dnipro region in Eastern Ukraine. In 2021, he and his friends decided to move abroad for a better life. At first, they considered Poland, but felt that finding a job there would be too challenging, due to the many Ukrainians who had already done the same.

He finally decided on Hungary, with which Ukraine has a visa-free regime, because his friend's sister had moved there six months earlier. Kirill lives near Budapest, the Hungarian capital, in Balassagyarmat town, and has found a job. But Hungary is not the country of his dreams.

"I thought I was going to Europe, that there would be progress, that everything would be good, but when I arrived, I felt that there was such stagnation, that people were living in some kind of past... There were old houses everywhere, and I had to go to Budapest to buy food [the city where he lives does not have a wide selection of goods]," Kiril said.

Under Viktor Orban's leadership, Hungary is gravitating toward Russia, combining conservatism with authoritarianism in a process called ‘Orbanization.’

Orban has concentrated power around himself, blocked EU sanctions, and slowed military aid to Ukraine. Despite the status of parliamentary democracy, he makes key decisions alone. He has also promoted Russian narratives around the war in Ukraine: he maintains close ties with the Kremlin, and meets regularly with Putin.

Kiril says that Hungary suffers from inflation and low wages, partly due to the prime minister's policy of rapprochement with Russia.

"Hungarians are complaining about this... They don't like Orban. Hungary is dependent on Russian oil and gas, and while other countries were looking for alternatives to get rid of Russian influence, Orban was signing supply contracts," Kiril said.

If a far-right party wins influence in Germany, they could forge closer ties with Russia. In the recent Germany campaigns, security and Ukraine have been drawn to the center of the election debate.

Friedrich Merz and his conservative CDU/CSU bloc lead in the polls with 29% and have the best chance of forming a coalition.

The conservative bloc supports EU unity, and NATO. Their leader, Friedrich Merz, a long-time opponent of Angela Merkel, pursues right-wing economic policies, but actively supports Ukraine, in particular calling for the use of long-range Taurus missiles against Russia.

At the same time, the right-wing populist pro-Russian Alternative for Germany is polling a record almost 21%.

AfD’s policies include leaving the EU, restoring Nord Stream 2, decreasing aid to Ukraine, and lifting sanctions against Russia – changing Germany's foreign policy to repair relations with Russia. The party is regularly criticized for its ties to Russian special services and support for pro-Russian rhetoric.

In a recent debate, Merz called out AfD Alice Weidel:

"You say we are not considered neutral by Russia. No, because we are not neutral! We are on Ukraine's side. We are defending the values we share. Your words this evening only confirm for me that I will do absolutely everything to prevent you from ever taking political responsibility in this country."

The AfD could increase isolationist sentiment in Germany and the EU, reduce military and financial aid to Ukraine, create a split between Eastern and Western Europe, and strengthen pro-Russian voices, according to Ihor Todorov, a professor at Uzhhorod National University in western Ukraine.

The Social Democratic Party of Germany, who have been polling 15%, and the Greens, who are predicted to get around 13% of the vote, could be key players in coalition negotiations. The SPD has been cautious about military aid to Ukraine, while the Greens remain strong advocates of support, pushing for more weapons and a tougher stance on Russia.

The question for Germans looks likely to be whether Merz will form a coalition with the left of the far right. Although the far right will almost certainly not win outright, it is likely to have its best result for the first time since World War II.

The AfD is known for its radical populist rhetoric. They actively oppose LGBT people and illegal immigration, calling for harsh measures such as closing borders and deporting migrants.

Investigations by The Insider and Der Spiegel confirmed that the Kremlin financed the AfD party through pro-Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Sergienko, who acted as an intermediary. The journalists found out that the AfD not only received cash from Moscow but also coordinated its initiatives and speeches with Russian curators. One such project was a lawsuit filed by the party with the German Constitutional Court to block military aid to Ukraine.

In addition to funding, Russia is using anti-war movements in Germany to weaken support for Ukraine by spreading disinformation, messages about "peace talks," and the “futility” of military aid.

Among the most vocal supporters of Alternative for Germany is Russian far-right political philosopher Alexander Dugin, an ideologue of Russian imperialism, sometimes called “Putin’s brain” in international media.

Elon Musk, a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, is also a supporter of the AfD, openly praising them in the media, calling them the “last spark of hope” for Germany in a newspaper article.

"The AfD's unabashed populism contributes to its popularity, especially in the eastern German states, which are poorer than western Germany. Sometimes you can hear notes of nostalgia: everything was fine when the Soviet Union was there... In addition, their popularity is growing because of Angela Merkel's government's less-than-successful migration policy," Todorov said.

The main question of the election is whether Merz will be able to win by a large margin and prevent the far right from gaining more than 20%. Roland Frodenstein, director of the Brussels Freedom Hub, said a coalition with the Greens would maintain a tough stance on Ukraine and Russia.

Kiril, a Ukrainian who watched Hungary as it descended into pro-Russian rhetoric and action, warns of the fateful consequences that will occur if Germany follows a similar path.

“If they choose a pro-Russian party, I don't even know what will happen... It will probably be worse... I'm afraid that then Russia might not stop at Ukraine and go to Europe,” warned Kiril.

NEWS OF THE DAY:

Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.

U.S. MAY CUT STARLINK FOR KYIV’S TROOPS: The U.S. could block Ukraine’s access to Starlink amid its refusal to accept a deal over minerals, Reuters reported. The issue was again brought to the table when the U.S. envoy on Russia and Ukraine Keith Kellogg visited Zelenskyy this Thursday. Starlink is a vital element for Kyiv’s defense since it provides a stable internet connection and communications to the frontline.

Meanwhile, the head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation Andrii Kovalenko reassured that nobody plans to cut off Starlink’s connection to Ukraine. Besides, the Ukrainian military has “other alternatives.”

ZELENSKYY MAY SIGN MINERAL DEAL TODAY: The U.S. and Ukraine could reach an agreement on a deal that would cede rare earth mineral rights to Washington today, according to the Wall Street Journal. Trump considers it compensation for the U.S. military aid provided to Ukraine, even though it does not offer any security guarantees for Kyiv. Kellogg has reportedly built trust with Zelenskyy and played a significant role in finalizing the deal during his visit to Kyiv.

At the same time, Zelenskiy is not ready to sign the deal on rare earth minerals, according to Sky News. The draft agreement allegedly does not reflect a partnership in the deal. Instead, it contains only unilateral commitments by Kyiv.

U.S. PROPOSES NOT TO CALL RUSSIA AGGRESSOR IN UN RESOLUTION: The United States has drafted a UN resolution on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine that has no mention of Ukraine's territorial integrity or criticism of Moscow's actions, AFP reported. It mourns "the tragic loss of life in the Russia-Ukraine conflict" and "urges a swift end to the conflict and continues to call for a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia."

EU TO DELIVER €20 BILLION OF MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE: Europe is preparing a new package of additional military aid worth about €20 billion, which is expected to be agreed upon on the anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Bloomberg reported. Europe is rushing to provide Ukraine with the necessary assistance and security guarantees because of Trump's initiative to achieve a quick peace on unfavorable terms for Kyiv.

The package includes artillery ammunition, air defense systems, deep-precision missiles, drones and other weapons. However, approval may be delayed due to possible blocking by Hungary and elections in Germany.

TAIWAN PRESIDENT PLEDGES 3% GDP ON DEFENSE: President Lai Ching-te said that in the face of Communist China’s threats toward the island nation, his government would seek to spend at least three percent of GDP on military spending.

Taiwan also seeks to establish itself as a critical part of the “democratic supply chain,” especially as it comes to semiconductors. The project comes as world trade is beginning to bifurcate more towards a democratic chain and an autocratic one. Lai made these comments to kick off the Halifax security forum in Taipei this past week.

DOG OF WAR

Today’s dog of war is Mariana’s traveling companion, who was sitting calmly when Mariana visited her parents. The dog didn’t bark even once — just curiously observing other train passengers and breathtaking scenery from the window.

Stay safe out there.

Best,
Mariana

February 19, 2025 10:36pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos USA

Reading Time: 12 minutes

Ben Borges

U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 19 launched an astonishing attack on President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him a “dictator” with a “very low” approval rating that refuses to hold elections in Ukraine.

The comments came a day after similar remarks made at the White House, in which Trump falsely claimed Zelensky had a “4% approval rating,” and suggested Ukraine should hold elections despite Russia’s ongoing war in the country.

Speaking a few hours after U.S. and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia for the first time since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago, Trump also falsely accused Ukraine of starting the war, and said Moscow wants “to do something” to “stop the savage barbarianism."

The talks in Saudi Arabia were conducted without Ukraine, prompting Zelensky to reiterate on Feb. 18  that “you can’t make a decision on how to end the war in Ukraine without Ukraine."

“They want a seat at the table, but you could say … wouldn’t the people of Ukraine have a say,” Trump said on Feb. 18, adding: “It’s been a long time since we’ve had an election."

“That’s not a Russian thing, that’s something coming from me, from other countries,” he insisted.

Which other countries are saying that Ukraine should hold elections?

Russia does.

In comments made while the talks in Saudi Arabia were underway, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is ready for talks with Zelensky, but “legal aspects related to his legitimacy” must be considered.

It’s far from the first time that Moscow officials have questioned the legitimacy of Zelensky, which has been a line of attack for almost a year now.

The false claim is based on the premise that Zelensky’s first term in office was originally meant to end on May 20, 2024.

But Russia’s full-scale invasion and the subsequent declaration of martial law in Ukraine has meant elections have been impossible to hold and his term has been extended, something constitutional lawyers say is allowed under Ukrainian law.

Russia has widely repeated the claim in an attempt to  discredit the Ukrainian government, but what’s different this time around is the U.S. President appears happy to go along with it.

US-Russia talks are ‘the last warning for Europe,’ Gabrielius Landsbergis says

Storm clouds are intensifying in Europe as Ukraine approaches the fourth year of the full-scale war with Russia. Initial hopes that U.S. President Donald Trump’s new administration might adopt the “peace through strength” approach towards Moscow are beginning to unravel in light of recent statement…

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

How popular is Zelensky?

According to Trump, there’s something akin to a constitutional crisis in Ukraine right now, with the country being run by a hugely unpopular “dictator."

“We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have essentially martial law in Ukraine, where the leader in Ukraine — I mean, I hate to say it, but he’s down at 4% approval rating,” he said on Feb. 18.

Trump’s comments contain two notable inaccuracies.

Firstly, Ukraine is under actual martial law due to Russia’s full-scale invasion. As mentioned above, Ukrainian law requires the suspension of elections which can only be lifted once the war is over.

Crucially, the terms of any peace deal — which the U.S. and Russia are currently discussing without Ukraine — will be essential for creating conditions under which elections can be held.

Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of parliament’s Defense Committee and of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s ruling party, said on Feb. 17 that he “does not think martial law can be lifted” on just the basis of a ceasefire without “the threats going away.”

A ceasefire “does not mean that Russia has withdrawn its troops from occupied territories or its means of attack that can strike Ukraine,” Venislavskyi said.

“Given Putin’s mental state, I think we can expect any possible developments. Therefore, without guarantees that this will lead to a lasting peace, I do not think martial law can be lifted,” he added.

Secondly, it's not clear where Trump got his information about Zelensky's "4% approval rating," a wildly inaccurate figure.

A survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) published on Feb. 19 found around 57% of Ukrainians trust Zelensky as of February, marking an increase of five percentage points since December.

The poll was carried out on Feb. 4-9, according to the pollster, but was published on the day after Trump’s claims.

According to the latest poll from Reuters published Feb. 19, Trump's own approval rating currently stands at 44%.

According to latest poll from the Levada Center, a Russian independent polling organization, Putin's approval in January was 87%, though Russia is a country where standing at an anti-war rally with a blank piece of paper can land one in jail, and has a leader who has been in power for 24 years, longer than many infamous dictators.

Zelensky himself on Feb. 19 did not hold back when he stated where he believed Trump had got the 4% figure from.

"We saw this disinformation. We understand it comes from Russia," he said during a press conference in Kyiv.

https://kyivindependent.com/british-volunteer-who-lost-arm-and-leg-evacuating-ukrainian-civilians-russia-is-the-enemy-how-can-you-not-see-it/

What would elections in Ukraine look like?

When Ukraine eventually does hold elections, it is expected to face multiple challenges to make a vote safe, equal, uninterrupted, and provide a secret ballot, as is required by Ukrainian law.

Russia's constant targeting of Ukrainian population centers across the country in bomb, missile and drone attacks, makes providing a "safe" voting experience impossible while the war is ongoing, not to mention the challenge of arranging voting facilities for soldiers serving on the front lines.

Demobilization is possible only after the end of martial law. Olha Aivazovska, head of the election watchdog Opora, said this process should begin at the stage of signing a peace agreement and its ratification.

"Then martial law is lifted and a fully-fledged, democratic, transparent electoral process begins," she told the Kyiv Independent.

If the war ends and martial law is lifted, Ukraine's Central Election Commission (CEC) will announce the start of the election campaign.

According to Ukrainian law, starting from that moment, 90 days should pass before presidential elections are to be held, 54 to 60 days before the parliamentary elections, and 50 days before local elections.

However, preparations for the post-war elections are expected to take even longer due to extraordinary circumstances caused by Russia's full-scale invasion.

According to United Nations (UN) figures, over 6 million Ukrainians left the country as a result of Russia's war and are currently abroad.  Another 3.6 million are internally displaced.

With around 18% of Ukraine's territories occupied by Russia, "millions more" remain in the Russian-occupied territories, according to Zelensky.

Another problem is the locations where a vote will be held. Electoral infrastructure, such as schools, has been destroyed in many areas of Ukraine-controlled territory due to Russian attacks.

Aivazovska said that it could take up to a year to restore the electoral infrastructure and adopt a separate law to hold the post-war elections following the ceasefire.

Who started the war in Ukraine?

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Feb. 18 that Ukraine “should have never started” the war.

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent

Who would be the main contenders?

Any list of potential candidates is purely speculative at this stage, but several well-known politicians, military officers, and volunteers could realistically be in the running.

Volodymyr Zelensky

While on the campaign trail, Zelenksy promised to be a one-term president. But when asked during recent interviews whether he is planning to run for another five years in the office, he did not rule out this possibility.

"It depends on how this war ends. Basically, it depends on people first and foremost, and of course on my family," he told American podcaster Lex Friedman last month.

Valerii Zaluzhnyi

Former Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi has never announced the launch of a political career and dodged questions about a possible presidential run.

Yet some experts see him as a potential main opponent to Zelensky. Last February, he topped a Ukrainian poll with a trust rating of 94%, higher than Zelensky.

Appointed commander-in-chief in the summer of 2021, Zaluzhnyi gained popularity among both the military and the broader population due to his role in leading the military resistance against Russia.

He was dismissed in February 2024 following months of speculation about a rift in Ukraine's leadership. Soon after, the president appointed Zaluzhnyi as Ukraine's ambassador to the U.K.

Yulia Tymoshenko

The leader of the Batkivshchyna party is a veteran politician who appears to have started preparing for the elections.

Tymoshenko served twice as Ukraine’s prime minister. In 2011, she was jailed by her main political opponent, pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. She was freed three years later after Yanukovych was ousted by the EuroMaidan Revolution.

She has been re-elected to parliament twice since then. Labeled as a populist, Tymoshenko used to oppose such notable steps for Ukraine as land sale reform or the legalization of medical cannabis.

Petro Poroshenko

Poroshenko launched his political career in the 1990s. He was a prominent figure during the two Ukrainian revolutions in 2004 and 2014. He held a number of top positions in Ukraine’s government, including economy minister under Yanukovych's rule.

After Yanukovych's overthrow, Poroshenko was elected Ukraine’s fifth president. He served one term from 2014 until 2019, facing Russia’s invasion of Crimea and Donbas.

Poroshenko pushed for Ukraine’s membership in the European Union and NATO, however, his tenure was marred by corruption scandals.

For years, the ex-president was listed among the wealthiest people in Ukraine owning the Roshen confectionery and a number of other businesses. In 2019, he transferred his business assets to his son Oleksiy Poroshenko.

Zelensky dealt a decisive defeat to Poroshenko in the 2019 election, but the rivalry between the two continued. Shortly before the full-scale invasion, in December 2021, the former president was charged with high treason for what the prosecution said was aiding Russian-controlled militants in the occupied parts of Donetsk Oblast.

This month, Zelensky imposed indefinite sanctions on Poroshenko, freezing all his assets. The charges of treason were cited as one of the official reasons for this move. Poroshenko has denied wrongdoing.

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The Kyiv IndependentMasha Lavrova

Yuriy Boyko

Boyko, a parliamentary member since 2007 and former deputy prime minister under Yanukovych, has a long history in Moscow-aligned political factions.

His joint political project with Viktor Medvedchuk, a former pro-Russian lawmaker accused of high treason, Opposition Platform — For Life, secured second place in the 2019 parliamentary elections. The party was banned in 2022 soon after Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Boyko advocated for Ukraine's "neutrality and non-alignment" and for granting the Russian language the status of the state language, proposals that echo Putin's ultimatums.

As the all-out war progressed, the politician tried to rebrand himself, but in December 2024 he posted a TikTok video repeating long-standing Russian propaganda points. This was met with public outrage and sparked speculations that he is doing groundwork for the post-war presidential and parliamentary run.

Despite being embroiled in a number of high-profile corruption probes, Boyko was never charged.

Vitali Klitschko

A former world boxing champion, Vitali Klitschko, launched his political career in the 2000s. He was one of the key figures during the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2014 and formed a political project with Poroshenko afterward.

In 2014, Klitschko became mayor of Kyiv and has since been re-elected twice. Despite his popularity abroad, he faces criticism in Ukraine for his handling of the capital. Klitschko has had a long-standing conflict with Zelensky. He claims ongoing pressure from government authorities.

Before the full-scale war, some reports in Ukrainian media alleged that his younger brother Wladimir Klitschko, also a former boxing star, could follow his brother’s footsteps and enter politics. When asked about it in 2021, he neither confirmed nor denied it.

Serhii Prytula

Longtime TV presenter and comedian Serhii Prytula entered politics in 2019, joining the newly created Holos party led by Ukrainian rockstar Sviatoslav Vakarchuk.

Prytula ran for parliament and mayor of Kyiv but failed to succeed. Due to party infighting, he left Holos in 2021. Shortly before Russia began its full-scale war, Prytula announced plans to launch his own party, which failed to materialize.

Now Prytula devotes himself to volunteering and raising funds for the military. Over almost three years of full-scale war, his charity, one of the largest in Ukraine, has raised more than Hr 7 billion ($168 million) for the army, he said.

Kyrylo Budanov

Budanov was appointed as the military intelligence (HUR) head in August 2020, becoming the youngest spy chief in Ukraine’s history.

The spy chief became a household name in Ukraine amid Russia’s war, while his agency is seen as one of the most competent institutions in the country, conducting multiple operations within Russia and the Ukrainian territories.

Such support for the military intelligence and its chief led to speculations about his possible dismissal. Both Budanov and Zelensky denied these rumors.

The spy chief evaded answering questions about a potential political career.

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The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

February 15, 2025 11:25pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

U.S. Deputy Assistant State Secretary Christopher W. Smith visited Belarus alongside two other U.S. officials in an unannounced meeting on Feb. 12, the New York Times reported, potentially ending Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s isolation from the West.

Belarus has been cut off from the West following Lukashenko’s crackdown on the 2020 mass protests in response to what the West denounced as fraudulent election results. Since then, Belarusian authorities have increasingly suppressed political freedoms and have become complacent in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The meeting comes as the U.S. seeks to negotiate a deal with Belarusian authorities. In exchange for the release of an undefined number of political prisoners, the U.S. is willing to ease sanctions on Belarusian banks and potash, the New York Times (NYT) reported on Feb. 15, citing unnamed officials in contact with Smith on Feb. 13.

Belarus is a major producer of potash, a key ingredient in fertilizer.

Revealing the meeting, Smith said during a briefing on Feb. 13 that it was the goal of U.S. officials to secure freedom for more political prisoners.

Alena Movshuk, a Belarusian activist, and Andrey Kuznechyk, a journalist for Radio Free Europe were released, Franak Viacorka, Senior Advisor to Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tikhanovskaya said.

Smith drove to Belarus from Lithuania, following a phone call with Lukashenko. The small U.S. delegation visited a border town where three political prisoners were transferred, including one U.S. citizen, and two Belarusian citizens.

The Belarusian leader assured Smith he was ready to decrease repression in Belarus, Smith said, adding that the U.S. wants Belarus to be less reliant on Russia.

Lukashenko was handed a seventh consecutive term as President of Belarus on Jan. 26, in an election that has been internationally denounced as a sham.

Minsk refused to invite a mission from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to observe the country’s Jan. 26 presidential election.

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The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

February 15, 2025 12:15am

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos USA

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Ben Borges

U.S. Vice President JD Vance stunned those watching on Feb. 14 when his speech at the Munich Security Conference turned into a searing attack on Europe’s ideals and a call to embrace far-right political parties.

At an event focused almost entirely on how to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Vance said what he fears most isn’t authoritarian states but Europe’s “threat from within."

“The threat I worry the most about vis-a-vis Europe is not Russia, it’s not China, it’s not any other external actor. It is the threat from within. The retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values.,” he said.

Vance went on to admonish Europe for not paying enough attention to “uncontrolled migration” and for what he described as the “retreat” of free speech.

He argued that Europe should not “just talk about democratic values” but “live them,” adding the continent could not “force people what to think, what to believe."

Vance said these efforts included restrictions on “misinformation,” which he described as a “Soviet-era” word, and laws against abortion protests that he said unfairly silenced Christians.

Speaking a little over a week before the German elections, the vice president called on European nations to drop their opposition to far-right parties such as the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which Berlin suspects of extremism.

“If you are afraid of your own people, there is nothing America can do for you,” he said, adding: “You cannot win a democratic mandate by censoring your opponents or putting them in jail."

The speech stunned those in attendance — Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko said in a post on X the speech amounted to " the total humiliation of all European leaders."

“There was almost no applause,” he added in another post.

"It's a strange style," EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius told the Kyiv Independent at the conference, adding: "Of course, he attracted a lot of attention, but (there were) no substantial messages. Not on Ukraine, not on Gaza."

Kubilius added that he was "not surprised" at the speech, adding it was now a question of how Europe reacted to it.

"And my reaction is quite simple — keep calm and carry on," he said.

"...the U.S. vice president decided to openly downplay a very tangible Russian threat in front of an audience comprising people from countries that suffered decades of brutal Soviet occupation..."

Federico Borsari, a resident fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), told the Kyiv Independent that Vance's comments "risk creating a fracture between the U.S. and Europe at a time when unity at all levels is essential to counter Russia."

"Rather than using the prestigious MSC’s stage to promote the image of the new U.S. administration in front of European leaders... the U.S. vice president decided to openly downplay a very tangible Russian threat in front of an audience comprising people from countries that suffered decades of brutal Soviet occupation and directly criticize European countries and their governments... for their alleged attack on democracy and freedom of speech," Borsari noted.

The expert also highlighted that Vance's comments were promptly praised by members of the far-right AfD.

Elsewhere, social media was awash with criticism of the speech — Gideon Rachman, the chief foreign affairs commentator for the Financial Times (FT), described it as "shocking hypocrisy."

Carl Bildt, co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations, said the speech was "significantly worse than expected."

Speaking at the conference after Vance's speech, Germany's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius tackled the vice president's comments about the AfD head-on.

"Democracy does not mean that a vociferous minority can decide what truth is… democracy must be able to defend itself against extremists," he said.

Vance later met with President Volodymyr Zelensky. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, also attended the meeting.

"Our teams will continue to work on the document (on critical minerals). We have addressed many of the key issues and look forward to welcoming General Kellogg to Ukraine for further discussions and a deeper assessment of the situation on the ground," Zelensky wrote.

"We are ready to move towards real and guaranteed peace as quickly as possible. We sincerely appreciate President Trump's determination to help stop the war and provide Ukraine with justice and security guarantees," Zelensky added.

Vance's speech came at the end of a tumultuous week for U.S.-Europe relations and the future of the war in Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump and his top officials on Feb. 12 appeared to undermine Ukraine’s leverage in peace talks, renewing fears that his plans for a quick resolution could amount to a victory for Russia.

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The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent

Trump announced he had held phone calls with both Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Zelensky, saying peace negotiations would start "immediately" and a ceasefire is in the "not too distant future."

Earlier in the day, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said "returning to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective," and that NATO membership for Ukraine is not an option.

European leaders — suddenly left out of discussions after nearly three years of close involvement with the U.S. on Ukraine-related issues under President Joe Biden’s administration —  scrambled to react to Trump’s comments.

Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, said on the same day: "Why are we giving (Russia) everything they want, even before negotiations have started? … If there is an agreement made behind our backs, it simply will not work."

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The Kyiv IndependentElsa Court

February 14, 2025 5:40pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Ben Borges

Slovakia, a landlocked country on Ukraine’s western border, is undergoing a dramatic political shift under Prime Minister Robert Fico. Once a staunch supporter of NATO and the EU, Slovakia has now moved toward a pro-Russian stance, halting military aid to Ukraine and opposing EU sanctions against the Kremlin. As Fico meets with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and cracks down on opposition voices at home, protests are erupting across the country. Tens of thousands of Slovaks have taken to the streets, fearing that their democracy is at risk.

February 12, 2025 5:18pm

Ukraine Russia Protests

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Ben Borges

In a shocking development, Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) Colonel Dmytro Kozyura has been detained on suspicion of espionage for Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB). The security service announced the arrest of the Chief of Staff of its Anti-Terrorist Center on Wednesday, February 12, without naming the suspect. Nonetheless, Ukrainian media outlets have identified him as Kozyura.

Kozyura has been leading the SBU's Anti-Terrorist Directorate since 2016. Telegraf published a photograph from one meeting that matches footage of the detention. His identity has also been confirmed by UNIAN and Ukrayinska Pravda.

Further mentions of Kozyura were discovered in the Telegram channel of Kyiv's mayor, Vitali Klitschko. In August 2024, Klitschko met with him and handed over drones purchased with the capital's budget. Photos from that encounter align with the ones released by the SBU.

Media reports indicate that other details about Kozyura remain sparse in public archives.

The SBU stated it has documented 14 instances of the arrested individual's illegal activities. According to the investigation, Kozyura was reportedly recruited by Russia in 2018 in Vienna and later used an undercover apartment in Kyiv for communication with an FSB handler.

The suspect allegedly disclosed crucial details concerning Ukrainian troop deployments, the state of critical infrastructure, outcomes of Russian missile strikes, and even intel on high-ranked officials.

Adding a personal twist, it appears his family supported Russian aggression, and knew about their kin’s treasonous liaisons, SBU officials disclosed. Authorities may soon charge them over the justification of Russia's aggressive actions.

SBU findings suggest the betrayal dates back to 2018 when the senior officer was flipped by FSB agents in Vienna. Initially lying dormant, he reconnected with Russian handlers towards the end of 2024. By this time, SBU operatives were monitoring his every move.

SBU detailed a chilling account of FSB orchestration, using a Ukrainian mediator for secure courier roles. This operative previously fled to Russia following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity and is notable for activities ranging from supporting the "Antimaidan" to transferring funds for paid protests, the agency elaborated. He too faces treason charges.

Patterned under cloak and dagger subterfuges, FSB officer Yuriy Shatalov allegedly directed spy activities through secure Kyiv-based locations using high-tech communication gadgets.

The sophisticated sting, codenamed "Rat," signifies a triumph of covert and overt investigative techniques.

In a sophisticated sting, codenamed "Rat," the Ukrainian secret service agents monitored the suspect meticulously.

"In neutralizing this saboteur, we achieved a historic victory," said SBU Chief Vasyl Maliuk. "He not only had extensive access and expertise but his potential threat amid ongoing conflicts warrants utmost significance. The operation was conducted under my oversight as I constantly reported key updates to President Volodymyr Zelensky."

Moreover, through this compromised channel, SBU fed Russian intelligence streams a plethora of misleading data, disrupting their strategic calculus.

Charged under Article 111 for high treason, the detained official is headed for potential life imprisonment with asset confiscation.

February 10, 2025 9:59pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

UKRAINE, KHARKIV, Feb 10 — On Feb 8, Kharkiv locals gathered to protest against the construction of a café near the historic building called “Giant” (“Gigant” in Ukrainian), a dorm of the Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute, which was built in 1931 year. 

The watchdog organization for public procurement, the Kharkiv anti-corruption center, and Lyuk, Kharkiv's local media, organized a demonstration, stating that the construction of a café on Skovorody St., 79, is unlawful. 

Gwara Media has been to the protest.

The dormitory, a modernist, constructivist building, is a local historic site.

“I think that we have to respect, value this heritage. Protect it and remember our history because people without history don’t have a future. Especially now, during [Russia’s] full-scale aggression against Ukrainian people,” said Andrii, a protester. 

Kateryna Kublytska, an architect, said that the construction violates the law because it’s too close to the dormitory, which, as a historic site, has to have a “secure radius” of 25 meters around it. 

The head of Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute, Yevhen Sokol, is also against the construction. 

The construction of the café on Skovorody St. started in 2023 by the owners of a gastropub called Zori but stopped after public pressure and the involvement of the Department of Inspection of Kharkiv City Council. 

According to the city council, currently, the developer has all necessary documents from the previous owner of construction on the area of 400m2, and that the documentation is currently being checked through by lawyers. 

The “Giant” was damaged during World War II and restored after 1949. 

Cover photo: Protest against construction of the café in front of historic building called "Giant" in the Kharkiv center / Hnat Holyk, Gwara Media

Read more

• “What happened here is terrible.” Russian drone strike on Kharkiv damages at least 100 stores of Barabashovo, one of biggest markets in Europe (photos) 

The post Kharkiv residents protest construction of café near 1931 historic building (in photos) appeared first on Gwara Media.

February 10, 2025 7:58pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 13 minutes

Ben Borges

Editor’s note: The transcript of this interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Poland holds a special position among Kyiv’s partners — with a shared history of Russian oppression and conquest, its leaders have left no room for doubt that the full-scale invasion of Ukraine represented an existential threat to the region and Europe as a whole.

Poland has sent tanks, fighter jets, artillery, and more to boost Ukrainian defenders fighting Russian forces, while the country has opened its doors to nearly 2 million Ukrainian refugees since 2022.

Yet Poland’s support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia has also been marked by tensions, sparked both by historical grievances and modern political and economic factors.

The ongoing dispute centered on the World War II-era Volyn massacres by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army of Poles living in what is today western Ukraine and subsequent reprisals. And economic disputes, such as protests by Polish farmers against Ukrainian grain, further complicate ties as Kyiv seeks entry to the EU and the single European market.

The Kyiv Independent sat down with Poland’s charge d’affaires in Kyiv, Piotr Lukasiewicz, on Jan. 29 to discuss why Poland stands out among Ukraine’s partners, how to approach the most painful chapters of the shared Polish-Ukrainian history, and why it may be too early to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine.

The Kyiv Independent: Since the outbreak of the first invasion, Poland has been one of the most vocal supporters of Ukraine. How has Poland been irreplaceable as an ally?

Piotr Lukasiewicz: Four hundred tanks, several hundred APCs (armored personnel carriers), including the modern ones, artillery, spare parts, hundreds of tons of ammunition, thousands of tons of humanitarian and other equipment, military and civilian.

The Kyiv Independent: How can we reconcile the fact that Ukraine and Poland have been close allies but also had many heated disputes, even emotional exchanges between Polish and Ukrainian leaders, during the war?

Piotr Lukasiewicz: Since we are neighbors, we have our good times and bad times. And such close nations have these ebbs and flows of relations and attitudes.

The strategic message from us is that we are here to support Ukraine rather than go back to political and historical discussions from the past. Of course, they are very important to the identity of Ukrainians and Poles. And they have to be somehow resolved, which is happening. The resolution of these disputes is happening as we speak, and I’m happy to report progress on both sides, progress in terms of attitude.

People are expecting some form of breakthrough, some form of symbolic act of reconciliation. But these very rarely happen between the nations of Europe. It is a period of reconciliation, rather than an act of reconciliation. It is progress that we call the European Union.

The Kyiv Independent: Are you worried that these underlying issues, such as historical and economic disputes, could undermine Poland’s military and security support for Ukraine or, as you call it, this strategic interest?

Piotr Lukasiewicz: When historians and specialists gather in Lviv, Kyiv, Warsaw, and Krakow, when Polish leaders come to Ukraine, or Ukrainian leaders go to Poland, and even touch upon the question of history and the troubles from the past, almost in the same sentence they say that if we argue, if we have this heated discussion that prevents us from doing something more, the only one who benefits is Russia.

Russia is using its hybrid, information, and malicious influence, both here in Ukraine and Poland, to use this debate to its own benefit. If we turn it into something political, only Russia would benefit.

We can always argue about this place or another place, about this number of people killed here, the number of people killed there. This is a matter for serious discussion, and it’s happening.

The Kyiv Independent: Just to clarify, we’re talking about Volyn massacres and the victims' exhumations (in Ukraine).

Piotr Lukasiewicz: We are talking about the victims, yes.

The Kyiv Independent: You spoke against politicizing the Volyn massacres. How would you respond to voices in Ukraine who say that Poland itself is politicizing the issue by linking it to Ukraine’s efforts to join the EU? Several politicians have said that Ukraine will not be able to join the EU unless the Volyn issue is settled.

Piotr Lukasiewicz: So there are narratives on both sides. But there are facts on the ground that are moving this process towards a good resolution. What else can I say? Of course, I won’t comment on this politician or another to say whether (what they have said) is true or not.

The second thing is that EU accession talks are not conditioned on individual bilateral relations between countries with the candidate states. This applies not only to Ukraine but also to Moldova, the western Balkans, and others. It is merit-based.

The European Union is a collection of national interests. So, we are conducting these negotiations with Ukraine with our national interests in mind. But it’s very important to understand — for Ukrainians especially — that the process is not a Polish-Ukrainian one. It’s a process (involving) all member states.

The Kyiv Independent: There are still many historical topics that are viewed very differently in Poland and Ukraine, such as Stepan Bandera, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, or its commander, Roman Shukhevych. Do you expect that these topics will continue to strain Polish-Ukrainian relations and hinder Ukraine’s effort to join the EU?

Piotr Lukasiewicz: As is mentioned in many books, including (Timothy) Snyder’s Bloodlands, Polish and Ukrainian history is full of blood, tragedy, and crimes committed against each other.

You mentioned names that sound tragic in Polish history and our understanding of our identity. We are not going to pay respect to these names, but we can’t really influence what Ukrainians think. We are not going to choose heroes for neighboring nations.

But it's very important for me and the Polish people, Polish historians, and Polish politicians that what is happening now, in the last 12 years of the Ukrainian struggle against the Russian empire, is that these times are producing greater, better, more suitable heroes for Ukrainian identity.

If you look at our embassy here in Kyiv, you will notice the pictures of Ukrainian soldiers with Polish roots. These are Poles living here in Ukraine who resisted the Russian invasion during the last 12 years.

For me, these are true heroes. I can relate to, and understand them. I'm Polish, they were Polish-Ukrainian. I'm not advising Ukrainians to build their history only on them. But their examples, their beautiful faces, which are shown at our embassy… there you can say: "These are the heroes that we can build our friendly relations upon."

These are the people who are fighting for modern Ukraine, not for Ukraine as it was 100 or 70 years ago. They are future-oriented heroes rather than heroes who wrote many, many ugly things in the past.

If Ukrainian society is trying to understand or is searching for a national example in history, it should also look at what happened between Poles and Germans, between French and Germans, and between many nations and how they reconciled. This was based on European values of reconciliation — European Union values. This should be future-oriented rather than expressing the sole identity of a particular nation.

Russia is not threatening only Ukraine, or only Polish independence, or Latvian, Lithuanian, or Estonian independence. They are collectively threatening Europe as a whole rather than our own particular, individual identity.

The Kyiv Independent: Poland took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU this January with the promise to help Ukraine speed up the accession process. What steps can Poland take in this regard?

Piotr Lukasiewicz: First, you should remember that the presidency of the EU Council is not what it used to be. It is a management rather than a leadership position.

But what we can do is that we can speed up the discussion. For instance, the opening of so-called clusters or chapters of negotiations is a process of three or four steps — accepting the screening report, issuing the benchmarks, and then starting negotiations.

So there are three or four steps that we can speed up during these six months, to maintain the Ukrainian agenda at the highest possible level, conduct very professional, merit-based, but still fast negotiations. And we are seeing great will from the Ukrainian side to speed up this process.

We are working to achieve the unanimity of the votes among the representatives of the member states in Brussels. And we are quite optimistic in delivering this first chapter, the so-called fundamentals, in the next two or three months.

Second, Poland had its own history of accession. We are very similar to Ukraine in terms of size, demographics, and type of economy. During our presidency, we want to share the best experiences, practices, and lessons learned by Polish negotiators.

The Kyiv Independent: What do you see as the main obstacles to Ukraine's EU accession efforts?

Piotr Lukasiewicz: It's the particular interests of the member states that can be driven by individual interests rather than strategic interests in mind. The strategic interest of the EU as a whole is Ukraine as a free and democratic member in, hopefully, the best and fastest possible way.

The Kyiv Independent: But looking from the perspective of Poland specifically, are you, for example, worried about accepting Ukraine into a single European market? We saw the mass protests and border blockades that came as a result of Ukrainian agricultural imports.

Piotr Lukasiewicz: You are asking about Poland's particular interest, which I'm trying to put into a different perspective. It's a collective negotiation of all member states rather than just Poland and Ukraine.

When we were entering the European market, we had this period of delay in particular sectors of the economy. In the first period of our membership, the farmers were paid both by the EU and our government. I remember very well the Polish lessons, a kind of disillusionment when several member states in 2000, 2002, and 2003 were voicing the same thing you asked — how the Polish accession to Europe would change the agricultural market further west in France or Spain?

Every nation has its own agricultural or economic interests. This is the experience we should pass on to Ukrainians so they can understand how they have to adapt to the common market, and how they have to change their structure, transportation policy, and agricultural infrastructure.

What we are trying to do for Ukraine is help them understand that it's not Poland that is particularly blocking something. It's a collection of the national interests of other member states as well.

We also have to adapt to this changing market. But the Polish example is that since we joined the European market with all the obstacles I mentioned, our GDP has grown almost by 300%. After 20 years, we are three times richer than we were when we entered.

This is an example that Ukrainians should consider. It is not a threat to them or to us. It's rather a question of adapting to new economic realities.

The Kyiv Independent: With the start of the U.S. presidency of Donald Trump, there are expectations that Europe should take greater responsibility for helping Ukraine resist Russian aggression and for ensuring the security of Europe as a whole. What role can Poland, as one of the most powerful militaries on the continent, play in this regard?

Piotr Lukasiewicz: I'm in a very privileged position among the ambassadors here in Kyiv to say that we are actually answering the calls to spend much more on defense. Everywhere you go, Poland is being given as an example of how to spend, what to spend, and how much to spend on defense.

Of course, we cannot sit back and say: "Okay, we achieved 5% (of GDP on defense spending), we are done." So we are calling on other nations that are lagging behind with this expenditure.

Secondly, given the importance of the Polish geographical position vis-a-vis Ukraine, we notice a much greater interest from our Central European and Nordic allies to gather around the example of Poland and the necessity to work together. I'm talking about these northern formats organized by the Polish government this year. The second format is the so-called Weimar Plus with France, Germany, and Poland being the core. And plus several other nations, the so-called big European five.

The Kyiv Independent: One hotly debated subject recently was the possibility of deploying European peacekeepers to monitor a potential ceasefire deal in Ukraine. What is Poland's position toward this idea?

Piotr Lukasiewicz: A very clear position.

There is no description of such a mission. There is no definition of such a mission. If there is a ceasefire, hopefully with the best Ukrainian position, then we will talk about a future peacekeeping contingent or not.

It very much depends on what will be achieved on the front lines. We are focusing right now not on discussing possible scenarios of the future, but rather on how to support Ukraine here and now.

The Kyiv Independent: How would you describe a successful and strong ceasefire deal?

Piotr Lukasiewicz: A ceasefire can take many forms. Over the past 12 years, we have observed how the ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine looked, how it was immediately broken by Russia after the first phase of the war in 2014, and how Russia committed itself to gradually invading more and more.

It is a rather baseless discussion right now about what (the ceasefire) would look like. What we have now is a heroic defense of Ukraine with the capabilities they have, which we are trying to strengthen.

It is the basic knowledge that peace negotiations should be conducted from a position of strength. And we are helping Ukraine to achieve the best achievable position in these future talks.

The second thing is that we cannot adopt the kind of mental position that Russia is enforcing something. We should be speaking from a position of strength — we are 10 times bigger in the sense of military, economy, and many advantages Europe has over Russia. It is us who should be imposing our conditions on Russia and imposing our threats on the Russian economy.

The Kyiv Independent: What should be non-negotiable in possible talks with Russia? For example, Russia recently declared that it will insist on barring Ukraine from entering NATO.

Piotr Lukasiewicz: The negotiations are dictated by the battlefield. This is war, not a political process. And the war changes a lot on a monthly basis. So we should not talk about the politics of how we should communicate with Russia, but rather achieve a reality on the ground that would serve political and diplomatic messages, with Ukraine being a leader or an actor in it.

Putin wants… to have one partner, one of the big global powers, so he can be again seen as a global leader. And we are in the same basket with the Ukrainians, the Czechs, the Germans, and others being talked over our heads, about our agency, existence, and well-being.

So, the basic condition for us, as for many Europeans, is strengthening Ukraine and then being part of the scenario or architecture in the future.

Note from the author:

Hi, this is Martin Fornusek. I hope you enjoyed this interview.

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February 10, 2025 6:00pm

Ukraine Russia Protests

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Ben Borges

A coal crisis within Russia, largely sparked by the ongoing war with Ukraine, has prompted some of the first significant protests.

The protests flared in the Kuzbass region of Kemerovo, driven by a mix of war-induced shortages, sanctions, and economic decline. For the first time, residents have taken to the streets, openly addressing President Putin in a call for answers, according to the news outlet Agentsvo.

This past Sunday, dozens of Kemerovo residents gathered, frustrated by the stark decline in coal quality offered under regional subsidies. Previously, they had access to high-grade coal, but now they are left with ineffective dust that neither burns nor provides heat. Quality coal is being exported to China, leaving Russia with only low-grade remnants.

"Our high-grade coal was taken; we're left with earth that burns without providing heat. We'd freeze! Why is the governor silent? Why is the area left without coal?" declared one protester in a video address to Putin.

The coal crisis in Russia is a result of not only Western sanctions but also China's recent decision to impose tariffs on Russian coal. Amid plummeting global fuel prices, revenue for coal companies has dropped 20%, wiping out profits. As a result, leading firms are abandoning quality coal production, forcing people to either freeze or heat with an unusable coal-dust mix.

Sanctions from the U.S., EU, and UK have dealt a severe blow to the sector. Since spring 2024, major coal companies, including SUEK, Kuzbassrazrezugol, and Russian Coal, are facing restrictions. This has led to overflowing coal depots and shutting operations, leaving hundreds of thousands of miners out of work.

Governor Ilya Seredyuk attempts to defend the situation, citing "challenges" in the coal industry, but residents are fed up with deception. Authorities announced in January that subsidized coal would now be of lower quality. Protests have made it clear that Russians are no longer willing to silently endure economic devastation and blatant government theft.

"The coal companies cannot continue to offer discounts; otherwise, they can't pay wages or taxes," acknowledged the governor. But this answer does not satisfy the residents. They demand accountability for those responsible for impoverishing Kuzbass.

Previously, Russian residents tried to address the issue online, signing a Change.org petition, but now they're taking their grievances to the streets. This marks one of the first open protests against the economic fallout of the war, and if the crisis deepens, such demonstrations could spread across Russia. As the Kremlin pours trillions into the war, ordinary Russians shiver and plead for help from a government that has long betrayed them.

February 6, 2025 4:17am

Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Members of Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party voted to revoke the mandates of 49 opposition parliamentarians on Feb. 5 after they refused to take their seats, citing concerns over the legitimacy of the results of the October parliamentary election.

The vote effectively brings the total number of Georgian parliamentarians down to 89 of the 150 elected in the disputed parliamentary elections — all of which now sit under the Georgian Dream party banner.  

Although 49 elected MPs formally requested to resign their mandates in protests, a further 12 opposition MPs from the “For Georgia” party have refused to attend parliamentary sessions.

The October election, which was widely disputed by the opposition and international observers, re-elected the Russian-friendly Georgian Dream party. The ruling Georgian Dream party, founded by oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, has drawn criticism for steering Georgia closer to Russia while hindering its EU accession.

Following the election, mass protests erupted in Tbilisi over the results, as well as amid a political crisis sparked by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement that Georgia’s EU integration could be delayed until 2028.

Anti-Western politician Mikheil Kavelashvili, an ally of the ruling Georgian Dream party, was inaugurated as the country’s sixth president on Dec. 29 in a move seen as illegitimate by the opposition.

Georgia’s fifth president, Salome Zourabichvili, said she would vacate the presidential palace but stressed she remains the only legitimate head of state, pledging to continue the struggle against the ruling party.

Since the election, a number of Western countries have imposed sanctions on Georgia over the perceived democratic backsliding. On Jan. 27, the European Union suspended parts of its visa facilitation agreement with Georgia.

Multiple Georgian opposition leaders arrested as pro-EU demonstrators block highway in Tbilisi

Georgian police arrested two opposition leaders, including the former mayor of Tbilisi, during a street protest against the ruling Georgian Dream party, Echo of the Caucasus reported on Feb. 2.

The Kyiv IndependentSonya Bandouil

February 4, 2025 8:20pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos USA

Reading Time: 8 minutes

Ben Borges

More than a decade after Ukraine’s pro-democracy EuroMaidan Revolution, the false — but persistent — claim that the movement was a Western-backed “coup” refuses to die.

Elon Musk on Feb. 2 boosted to his more than 215 million followers a post on X which parroted Russian disinformation, claiming without evidence that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) had once been involved in toppling the Ukrainian government.

Musk, who is leading an initiative for President Donald Trump to slash government spending, has repeatedly discredited the agency in recent days and is pushing for its shutdown.

Research over the years has revealed that Russian propagandists have worked hard to spread the false narrative of a “coup” in Ukraine since 2014. With Musk taking a prominent position in the U.S. government, they now appear to have a sympathetic ear in the halls of American power.

What Russian disinformation and its promotors ignore is clear evidence that the Euromaidan Revolution was organized spontaneously by Ukrainians in a grassroots fashion.

Hundreds of thousands of people from all over the country and walks of life came together to spend three months in freezing temperatures to protest the undemocratic actions of their president and government.

Rather than being violently or illegally forced out, as the term coup used by Musk and propagandists would suggest, Ukraine’s then-president Viktor Yanukovych voluntarily fled the country to Russia after ordering his police forces to open fire on and kill civilian protestors. The subsequent transfer of power was carried out democratically through free and fair elections.

The Russian government also has a clear incentive to invalidate a pivotal moment in Ukraine’s democratic history as it represents a shift away from Russian influence.

Here’s what actually happened, and how the Kremlin has worked to obfuscate the truth.

What was EuroMaidan?

Before the EuroMaidan protests began on Nov. 21, 2013, the Ukrainian government was preparing to sign an agreement that would integrate Ukraine more closely with the EU. Yanukovych had run on a platform of improving relations with the union when he was elected in 2010.

Caving to economic pressure from Russia, Yanukovych suddenly abandoned these plans in favor of closer ties with Moscow.

Hundreds of peaceful protesters gathered in Kyiv’s Independence Square — known as Maidan Nezalezhnosti in Ukrainian — in response to Yanukovych’s decision.

An initial violent crackdown by Ukraine’s riot police on Nov. 30, 2013, only fueled the protesters, who swelled in number to hundreds of thousands over the ensuing weeks. Protests spread to oblasts across the country, particularly among students and young people, and many made their way to Kyiv to join the protests happening in the country’s capital.

As the protests continued, their demands expanded beyond European integration, and became a stand against corruption, injustice, and human rights violations, including the violent efforts by Ukrainian police to repress peaceful protests.

In January 2014, to shut down the protests, Yanukovych and the parliament implemented laws restricting freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, which were deemed “dictatorship laws” in much of Ukraine and widely denounced around the world as anti-democratic.

The protests lasted until that February, when Yanukovych ordered snipers of the Berkut special forces to open fire on protesters, killing over 100 people who are remembered as the “Heavenly Hundred.” Yanukovych fled to Russia in the immediate aftermath, and a parliament majority democratically voted to remove Yanukovych from office, calling for an early election that international observers declared free and fair.

After Yanukovych left, a raid on his home revealed a staggering level of corruption.

A photographer who was on the Maidan with protesters recalled to the Kyiv Independent on the tenth anniversary of the protests being injured by a rubber bullet while photographing snipers shooting at unarmed protesters.

“I understood that I was defending my rights, that I was standing for what they wanted to take away from me,” he said.

Why do some claim that the U.S. was responsible?

Russia seized on the events almost immediately, attempting to paint the EuroMaidan protests as a coup backed by the U.S.

In Dec. 2013, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland said in a speech at a conference organized by the non-governmental organization U.S.-Ukraine Foundation that the U.S. had invested over $5 billion in Ukraine since the end of the Soviet Union in 1991 to “ensure a secure and prosperous and democratic Ukraine.” She praised the EuroMaidan movement in the same speech.

Those comments — and the U.S.’s role in coups in other countries in the past — have been used by propagandists to claim that Washington funded the EuroMaidan protests.

Despite attempts to portray it otherwise, the $5 billion spent in Ukraine was unrelated to the protests. The funds went to supporting fair elections, funding anti-corruption efforts, and developing the country’s energy infrastructure over the years.

Nuland later clarified in April 2014: “We certainly didn’t spend any money supporting the Maidan. That was a spontaneous movement, which is a far cry from what we are concerned Russia is up to now in eastern Ukraine.” At the time of her speech, Russia had already illegally invaded and annexed Crimea and was sending troops to eastern Ukraine.

Around the same time, a hacked phone call between Nuland and U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt was posted on YouTube.

In the recording, Nuland and Pyatt discuss goals for Ukraine’s political future and their efforts to steer Ukrainian opposition political figures toward various positions in a new post-revolution government.

While the leak was embarrassing for the Americans and revealed the U.S. was seeking more involvement in Ukraine’s political future than it publicly let on, the contents of the call do not support Russian claims that the U.S. was involved in backing a coup.

Timothy Snyder, a professor of history at Yale University specializing in the history of Central and Eastern Europe, said a few weeks after the leak: “What that telephone conversation showed was that the Americans were, A, not up to date about what was happening in Ukraine and, B, unable to influence events happening in Ukraine.” Many of the scenarios the Americans were hoping for in the call did not end up happening, he noted.

“Imagine just how much evidence the Russians have of what the U.S. was doing in Ukraine, given that they had access to that telephone call. That was the best bit they could come up with,” Snyder also said at the time in reference to the leak.

The U.S. blamed Russia for the hack, noting that a Russian official was the first to spot and point it out online, and a transcript posted with the video was in Russian.

Nuland and Pyatt appeared once again in Russian propaganda narratives after the two were photographed offering food to the protesters in Kyiv. The gesture was intended as a show of support and solidarity for democracy after the anti-democratic violent crackdown by Ukrainian authorities. Russian commenters online used it to disparage protestors as having “sold out” to Washington.

How has Russia advanced these narratives?

Eleven years after the protests, claims that EuroMaidan was a coup continue to persist.

His Feb. 2 social media post isn’t the first time Musk has pushed these narratives. In 2023, he prompted pushback from Ukrainian authorities after he posted online in reference to Ukraine that there was “no question that there was indeed a coup."

Advisor to Ukraine’s Presidential Office Mykhailo Podolyak responded by telling him to read less Russian media, saying: “Enslaved societies take to the streets to rid themselves of repressive states. This is the basis of freedom, Elon Musk.

“There have never been coups in Ukraine, but there have always been free people.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's nominee for health secretary, also repeated the false claim that the U.S. spent $5 billion on a coup in Ukraine in an interview with far-right American political commentator Tucker Carlson in 2023.

It’s no accident these propaganda statements have taken root. Russia has carried out a coordinated campaign for years to amplify these claims.

Detector Media found that official Russian channels on social media have been claiming EuroMaidan was a coup using the propaganda tactic of “relentless repetition,” disseminating these messages on many accounts representing a variety of organizations in different countries. These comments are pushed in various languages to reach broad audiences.

These comments have also been echoed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and other high-ranking officials over the years, including just two months ago by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during an interview hosted by Carlson.

EuroMaidan Revolution

The EuroMaidan Revolution is often credited with being the single most consequential event in Ukraine’s modern history. After pro-Kremlin President Viktor Yanukovych took power in 2010, the political and business landscape in Ukraine was gradually deteriorating. In November 2013, Yanukovych refuse…

The Kyiv IndependentAlisa Sobolieva

February 3, 2025 10:24pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

A homeless Ukrainian citizen was beaten to death in Bratislava, Slovakia, the Slovak media outlet Aktuality reported on Feb. 3.

The Ukrainian man was found on Jan. 30 in front of the Nivy shopping center in Bratislava with serious injuries to his head and body. He was hospitalized but died the next day due to the severity of his injuries.

The man was previously caught stealing from the New Yorker clothing store in Nivy. Later, he was taken to a back room of the shopping center, as seen on the surveillance cameras.

Slovak police are investigating several versions of the circumstances surrounding the death of a Ukrainian national, according to Aktuality. Local law enforcement agencies have not ruled out the possibility that the man was beaten by police and private security guards.

The paramedic who treated the man also pointed to a possible beating as the cause of the victim’s injuries.

The Ukrainian Embassy has reached out to the Slovak police and Slovakia’s ombudsman.

“Shocked by the tragic death of a Ukrainian citizen in Bratislava. We cannot exclude ethnic hatred as one of the reasons for this crime,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X.

“We demand an impartial investigation and accountability,” Sybiha added.

The death of the Ukrainian citizen comes amid increased tensions between Kyiv and Bratislava. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, a long-time opponent of military aid to Ukraine, has escalated threats against Kyiv following the termination of Russian gas transit via Ukrainian territory on Jan. 1.

Fico’s Kremlin-friendly policies sparked widespread demonstrations throughout Slovakia, which his government has blamed on an alleged Ukrainian-backed coup. Fico has not provided evidence to support the allegations.

As government cuts support, some internally displaced Ukrainians return home — to Russian occupation

Last winter as Olena Morozova braced for a long and arduous trip to Ukrainian-controlled territory from her Russian-occupied home in Lysychansk in Luhansk Oblast, her friends were traveling in the opposite direction. The friends — a family with two sons — came back to their house in Lysychansk beca…

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

February 2, 2025 9:23pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Georgian police arrested two opposition leaders, including the former mayor of Tbilisi, during a street protest against the ruling Georgian Dream party, Echo of the Caucasus reported on Feb. 2.

Along with former Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava, the leader of EU-friendly party “Akhali” Nika Melia was arrested as well.

Both Melia and Ugulava had previously been imprisoned under the current government on charges widely criticized as politically motivated.

The arrests took place as thousands of demonstrators attempted to block a major highway leading into Tbilisi, near the capital’s main shopping center.

Authorities warned that blocking the highway was a criminal offense, citing a recent legislative amendment on January 31 that added “roads of international and domestic importance” to the list of strategic objects.

Officials stated that the protest near Tbilisi Mall fell under Article 222 of the Criminal Code, which carries penalties ranging from correctional labor to up to two years in prison.

Several other protesters were also detained, with at least one reported injury.

“Fire to the oligarchy,” “No justice - no peace”, the protestors chanted.

The pro-Russian Georgian Dream party claimed a sweeping victory in the Oct. 26 elections amid widespread allegations of fraud and intimidation. The disputed results triggered mass demonstrations in Tbilisi.

A second round of protests kicked off when Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia’s integration into the EU could be postponed until 2028.

The controversial foreign agents law adopted earlier this year led the EU to effectively freeze Georgia’s accession process.

Hundreds of protestors have been arrested since the fall, and numerous cases have been reported of Georgian police using tactics such as tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrations.

Russia’s new naval base raises fears of Georgia’s involvement in Ukraine war, WSJ reports

Ochamchire, more than 700 kilometers southeast of the nearest Ukrainian-controlled territory, could provide Moscow with a naval base that remains largely beyond the range of Ukraine’s existing long-range strikes.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova