Protests

January 24, 2025 9:58pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos USA

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Protests erupted in more than 20 Slovak cities on Jan. 24 under the slogan “Slovakia is Europe,” targeting the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico, Slovak media Aktuality reported.

Protesters chanted slogans like “Enough of Fico” and “We are Europe,” expressing discontent with the prime minister’s policies and pro-Russian rhetoric.

Organized by the “Peace to Ukraine” initiative and opposition parties, the demonstrations drew significant crowds, with organizers claiming 60,000 participants in Bratislava’s Freedom Square.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these numbers.

Fico, who has been critical of Western support for Ukraine, accused opposition leader Michal Simecka on Jan. 18 of plotting to overthrow the government.

In a Facebook address, Fico claimed that Simecka was “kissing Zelensky’s ring” and pledging support for Ukraine’s NATO membership.

Simecka, leader of the pro-Western Progressive Slovakia party, recently led a delegation of opposition lawmakers to Kyiv on Jan. 17 to reestablish Slovakia’s support for Ukraine.

Fico likened the opposition’s actions to Ukraine’s EuroMaidan Revolution, alleging they were preparing to stage a coup in Bratislava.

Fico’s government has faced criticism for its perceived alignment with Russian interests, contrasting with the pro-Western orientation of opposition leaders like Simecka.

What leverage does Trump have over Putin in peace negotiations? Quite a lot, experts say

Only days after U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House, he dialed up the heat on Russia with a threat of sanctions, tariffs, and negotiating “the hard way” if Russian President Vladimir Putin fails to come to the table for a peace deal with Ukraine. Trump has

The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta

January 21, 2025 10:14pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Ben Borges

Early voting began on Jan. 21 in the Belarusian presidential election scheduled for Jan. 26, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.

The previous election, held in August 2020, was accompanied by large-scale voting fraud and the largest protests in Belarusian history. Most Western governments refused to recognize the 2020 election results and do not consider Alexander Lukashenko the country’s legitimate leader.

Lukashenko, who has been in power in Belarus since 1994, announced last year that he intended to run again in the Jan. 26 presidential election.

Meanwhile, human rights activists call the early election procedure one of the mechanisms of vote rigging, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.

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Up to 40% of voters usually take part in early voting, and the executive branch determines the number of people who are supposed to participate. Early voting plans are distributed among regions and enterprises, effectively forcing citizens to vote during this period, according to the media outlet.

Elections in Belarus "no longer fulfill their functions but are used by the authoritarian government to show a positive picture of general support and thus legalize the authoritarian government," Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported, citing human rights activists.

Lukashenko claimed victory in the 2020 presidential election, which was widely denounced as rigged in his favor. It was followed by mass protests across the country, which were brutally suppressed by the authorities. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who leads Belarusian democratic forces in exile, said she had won 60% of the vote.

The Belarusian dictator is also a close ally of Russia and has backed Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, providing Belarusian territory as a staging area for Russian invasion troops in 2022. Russia has also been using Belarus to launch missiles against Ukraine.

‘You’ll die here’ – Belarusian political prisoners recount experiences ahead of Lukashenko’s reelection

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for 30 years, is looking to reelect himself for the seventh time. In the run-up to the January 2025 presidential elections, Lukashenko has pardoned prisoners convicted of extremism, claiming that it was a “humane gesture” toward those…

The Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan

January 19, 2025 9:18pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos USA

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Ben Borges

Editor’s note: This article is an on-site version of KI Insights' The Week Ahead newsletter covering events from Jan. 20-Jan. 26. Sign up here to start your week with an agenda of Ukraine-related events, delivered directly to your inbox every Sunday.

The global spotlight will be fixed firmly on Washington D.C. next week as Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States on Jan. 20. This is perhaps the most anticipated event of the year, with allies and adversaries bracing for potential shifts in U.S. foreign policy and its impact on global power dynamics.

On the same day, the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum will start in Davos, Switzerland, centered around the theme “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age.” The forum will run from Jan. 20 to Jan. 24 and focus on adapting economies to anticipated geopolitical shifts and technological advances, including artificial intelligence.

Additionally, European MEPs will gear up for the Jan. 20-23 plenary session at the European Parliament to address the ongoing repression in Belarus and vote on a resolution condemning Russia’s disinformation and historical distortions used to justify its war against Ukraine.

On Jan. 22, the Polish PM, Donald Tusk, will present the priorities of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union to the plenary of the European Parliament. The address is expected to focus on European security, emphasizing Polish strategic objectives during its tenure (Ukraine will be looking for indications of Poland’s willingness to help fast-track its negotiation clusters and speeding up EU accession).

On Jan. 22, Ukraine marks Unity Day, commemorating the 1919 unification treaty between the West Ukrainian People’s Republic and Ukrainian People’s Republic (the union lasted until 1921). This will be followed by a series of historical dates, culminating with the 3rd anniversary of the full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 and the war’s entry into its 2nd decade on Feb. 27.

The week will then be capped off by the Presidential “election” in Belarus on Jan. 26 with Alexander Lukashenko set for another five-year term. Due to the severe political repression in the country, major protests are unlikely.

If you have an upcoming event that you would like featured in our newsletter, please get in touch via insights@kyivindependent.com.

Other Events and Milestones:

• Jan. 21, 17:00-18:00 (EET): An in-person Q&A Session “How Tech Companies Become Global Leaders” with Hanna Shuvalova, Principal at Horizon Capital, will be run by Diia.City. Register here.
• Jan. 24, 14:00–15:00 (EET): Meeting “Key WEF Takeaways for Businesses.” Hosted by the European Business Association and Global Business for Ukraine, focusing on insights from the World Economic Forum in Davos. Register here.
• Jan. 25, 10:30 (EET): Conference “U-Nation Startup & Innovation” in Odesa. The fifth annual event at Bristol Hotel, Italiiska Street 15, showcasing startups and innovations. Register here.

What’s the Buzz in Davos:

• Jan. 21, 16:30-17:30 (EET): Panel “In It to Win It: How Ukrainian DefenceTech is Transforming the War, Ukraine, and the World.” Hosted by Ukraine House Davos, exploring the innovations and resilience of Ukrainian DefenseTech.
• Jan. 21, 19:30-20:30 (EET): Panel “INVICTUS. Unleashing War-Wounded’s Superpowers.” Hosted by Ukraine House Davos, focusing on empowering war-wounded individuals.
• Jan. 22, 10:00–11:00 (EET): Gathering “Shaping the Future of GovTech: Launch of the Global GovTech Board and the Power of Global Collaboration." will be held in Ukraine House Davos, Switzerland. Organized by the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
• Jan. 22, 14:00–15:00 (EET): Panel Discussion “Investing in Ukraine’s Economic Resilience Today and Creating Foundations for Growth, Recovery and Reconstruction.” Focusing on Ukraine’s recovery and future development.
• Jan. 22, 17:30–18:30 (EET): Panel “Insurance Programs Accelerating New Investments and Supporting Ukraine’s Economic Recovery.” Organized in collaboration with Marsh McLennan.
• Jan. 23, 14:00–15:00 (EET): Panel “Ukraine: A $12 Trillion Critical Mineral Superpower.” Co-hosted by BGV GROUP MANAGEMENT, highlighting Ukraine’s potential in critical minerals.
• Jan. 23, 15:30–16:30 (EET): Panel “Leadership, Competitiveness, Sustainability: Success Stories of Ukraine’s Top Investors and Enterprises.” Featuring insights from Ukraine’s largest investors.

2025 – A Turning Point for Ukraine

Editor’s note: This article is a special edition of the KI Insights’ The Week Ahead newsletter, looking at challenges and opportunities facing Ukraine in 2025. 2025 is gearing up to be a decisive year for Ukraine. The country’s leadership will need to navigate a turbulent international landscape, a…

The Kyiv IndependentKI Insights

January 19, 2025 7:01pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Ben Borges

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accused opposition leader Michal Simecka of “kissing Zelensky’s ring” during his recent visit to Kyiv and said the MP wanted to stage a coup d’etat in Bratislava.

Simecka, the pro-Western leader of the Progressive Slovakia party, headed a delegation of Slovak opposition MPs on a visit to Kyiv Jan. 17. The aim of the visit was to “reopen the door that Robert Fico slammed with his aggressive outbursts,” Simecka said.

In an address posted to Facebook late on Jan. 18, Fico said the delegates were “kissing (President Volodymyr) Zelensky’s ring” and “promising him support for Ukraine’s membership in NATO.”

Fico said the opposition wanted to stage a coup and alluded to Ukraine’s EuroMaidan revolution in his accusation.

“We are preparing for all possible alternatives,” he said.

“We will be ready for everything. Especially for Maidan, that is, a coup d’etat across the street, which the opposition, especially Progressive Slovakia, is so tenaciously trying to achieve.”

Fico, a pro-Russian politician who has long opposed military aid to Ukraine, has escalated threats against Kyiv following the termination of Russian gas transit via Ukrainian territory on Jan. 1.  He has threatened to limit aid to Ukrainians and cut off electricity supplies amid an energy crisis brought on by Russia’s relentless attacks against Ukraine’s power grid.

As tensions mount, Zelensky and Fico have signaled they may hold talks in the coming days. Fico told reporters on Jan. 16 that he might meet with Zelensky at an unspecified location in the “next few days.” Zelensky on Jan. 17 invited Fico to visit Kyiv.  

In his address, Fico showed no signs of softening his rhetoric against Ukraine.

“Robert Fico is the Slovak Prime Minister, not a Ukrainian servant,” he said.

The prime minister said he would likely veto future financial aid to Ukraine from the European Union and reiterated his opposition to Ukraine’s NATO membership.

“The government I lead will never support Ukraine’s membership in NATO, because it would only lead to World War III,” Fico said.

“The government will also never propose sending soldiers to Ukraine to turn their weapons against the Russian Federation.”

Fico’s friendliness towards the Kremlin has sparked outrage both at home and abroad. His meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in December drew condemnation from other European leaders. Mass protests erupted in Bratislava in early January, with thousands chanting “We are not Russia.”

A coalition of Slovak opposition parties announced on Jan. 14 that they planned to initiate a vote of no confidence in Fico’s government.

Zelensky slaps sanctions on Ukraine’s top pro-Russian politicians

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree imposing new sanctions on Ukraine’s top pro-Russian politicians, he announced on Jan. 19.

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

January 18, 2025 12:39pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Maria Zaitseva, a 24-year-old Belarusian volunteer soldier fighting for Ukraine, was killed in action near the town of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast on Jan. 17, Nasha Niva reported.

Zaitseva joined the Ukrainian army after the start of Russia’s full-scale war and fought with the 2nd International Legion Battalion.

She turned 24 on Jan. 16, a day before she was killed by Russian forces.

In August 2020, Zaitseva participated in the protests in Minsk against alleged presidential election fraud in Belarus. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko claimed to have won elections by a landslide with 80% of the vote, provoking nationwide protests and a subsequent regime crackdown on dissent.

During protests, fragments of a flash grenade severely injured Zaitseva’s arm and head. Her photo from the protests with her face covered in blood went viral.

“Gravely injured during the 2020 Belarus protests, she gave her life for freedom,” said Belarusian opposition leader Svitlana Tsikhanouskaya, describing Zaitseva as “an icon of our revolution."

After being injured, Zaitseva was treated in the Czech Republic, where she underwent several surgeries. She said that the injury caused a hematoma in her brain. She also lost hearing in one ear.

Hundreds of Belarusians have joined the Ukrainian army since 2014, and over 60 of them have been killed in action, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported. In Belarus, volunteer fighters risk imprisonment, and the Lukashenko regime harasses their families.

Belarusian soldiers fighting for Ukraine say time is running out for their brother-in-arms extradited to Belarus

In Alexander Lukashenko’s Belarus, helping to defend Ukraine against Russia gets you labeled as a terrorist. Vasil Verameichyk, a Belarusian who enlisted in Ukraine’s Armed Forces just four days after Russia launched its all-out war, was detained on Nov. 13 in Vietnam in a suspected covert operatio…

The Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan

January 17, 2025 5:41pm

Ukraine Russia Climate Protests Photos

Reading Time: 13 minutes

Ben Borges

OSCE observers not invited to monitor upcoming presidential election in Belarus.

Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drills with Russia.

Belarus sentences EU diplomatic staffer to four years in prison.

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Irregular crossings into EU from eastern borders more than triple in 2024, Frontex reports.

Belarusian state TV airs a propaganda film with jailed journalists, attempting to discredit their coverage of 2020 elections ahead of upcoming vote.

Belarusian opposition announced it will issue “New Belarus” passports, yet legal uncertainty remains for exiles.

Belarus refuses to invite OSCE observers to upcoming election

Minsk has not invited observers from the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions to monitor the upcoming presidential elections in Belarus, the OSCE announced on Jan. 9.

The presidential elections, which are expected to provide Belarus’s longtime dictator Alexander Lukashenko with a seventh term in office, are scheduled for Jan. 26. The poll, dismissed as a “sham” by the Belarusian opposition, will be the first presidential race since the 2020 election — which sparked an unprecedented wave of anti-government protests and an ongoing domestic political crisis.

The OSCE said Belarus’ decision not to invite its member states via the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) was “regrettable” and “deprives the country’s citizens of a transparent and full assessment of the entire process.”

“The lack of transparency further undermines faith in the electoral system of Belarus,” said OSCE PA President Pia Kauma.

This is the third time the office will be unable to observe elections in Belarus since the contested 2020 vote — it was not invited to observe the 2022 constitutional referendum or parliamentary elections.

Speaking at a meeting with the chairs of regional executive committees on Jan. 3, Lukashenko mentioned the idea of inviting international observers, saying, “We should meet with the Central Commission once again and decide whether we will invite these foreigners (Western observers) to the elections.”

However, Lukashenko raised the issue less than three weeks before the elections, with the key stages of the campaign — the nomination of candidates, the formation of local electoral committees, and the selection of national observers — already having been carried out.

The rushed presidential election campaign is being held nearly half a year earlier than is stipulated in Belarus’s election law. The Belarusian Central Election Committee (CEC) cleared the heads of three loyalist parties — Aleh Haidukevich, Alexander Hizhnyak, and Siarhei Syrankou — along with another sham candidate representing the so-called “constructive opposition” — Hanna Kanapatskaya — to “challenge” Lukashenko for the presidency.

As of Jan. 8, the Belarusian Central Electoral Committee (CEC) had accredited 362 foreign observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (PA CSTO) — all Russia-led international alliances favoring the Lukashenko regime.

Among the 28,330 national observers, 79% come from political parties or pro-government professional unions, the independent news outlet Pozirk reports. Since 2020, Lukashenko has eliminated all but four loyal political parties and liquidated over 1,800 civil society organizations.

The expert observation mission organized by the Viasna Human Rights Center and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee claims that the electoral campaign is organized in a “repressive climate of threat, fear-mongering, pressure, and persecution in connection with any civil activity unauthorized by the state.”

Will Transnistria’s gas crisis lead to its collapse and reintegration into Moldova?

By halting natural gas supplies to Moldova on Jan. 1, Russia created an unprecedented economic crisis in the Russian-occupied part of the country — Transnistria. The crisis prompted a question: will the breakaway region, occupied by Russia since 1992, survive without Russian gas? Free-of-charge Ru…

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

Minsk expects 13,000 Russian troops to take part in joint military drills in 2025

Over 13,000 Russian troops will participate in the Zapad-2025 joint military exercise, the Belarusian Defense Ministry announced on Jan. 10, citing Major General Valery Revenka.

Military allies Russia and Belarus have been conducting the Zapad (“West” in Russian) strategic drills every two years since 2009. Approximately 12,800 Russian soldiers were hosted in Belarus in 2021. Another military drill, “Union Resolve 2022,” followed the Zapad-2021, and was used to disguise a troop buildup on the Ukrainian border ahead of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022.

In an interview with a state-owned TV channel, Major General Revenka said that Belarus has already notified OSCE member states about the drills in line with the Vienna Document, extending an invitation to “allies, friends, partners” to observe the exercises.

According to Revenka, Belarus “views positively” only some EU and NATO member countries — without specifying which ones. Noting that Belarus had not been invited to observe European military drills last year, Revenka said that a decision regarding an invitation to NATO members remained to be taken.

The date of the Zapad-2025 drills has not officially been announced, but they are believed to be scheduled for September 2025. In October 2024, the Belarusian Air Force announced “major drills with Russia in September 2025,” right after a meeting of the joint board of the Belarusian and Russian Defense Ministries approved a concept plan for the Zapad-2025 joint strategic exercise.

The Vienna Document on security and confidence-building requires its members to provide notification 42 days or more prior to holding military drills.

Aside from Zapad-2025, Belarus plans to host three military drills — Search, Interaction, and Echelon — along with members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Russia-led bloc Moscow set up in 2002, over a decade after the collapse of the Warsaw Pact.

While not committing Belarusian troops to Russia’s war on Ukraine, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory as a jumping off point for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, provided supplies to the Russian army, and offered to host Russian tactical nuclear weapons.

EU diplomatic staffer in Belarus sentenced to 4 years in prison

Minsk City Court has handed down a four-year prison sentence to a local staff member of the European Union’s diplomatic service in Belarus, Politico reported on Jan. 9.

The sentence, issued in late December 2024, has only now been made public. The court found the EU staffer, Mikalai Khilo, guilty of “incitement of hatred and calls for actions harming Belarus’s national security.”

The EU’s External Action Service condemned the decision and reiterated calls for Khilo to be released.

“We continue calling for Mikalai Khilo’s immediate and unconditional release,” EU spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Anitta Hipper said in a statement shared with Politico.

The EU diplomatic service previously called for Khilo’s release ahead of his trial, which was held on Dec. 23. At the time, a Lithuanian member of the European Parliament, Petras Auštrevičius, told Politico that Minsk was “testing the EU” by arresting its employee. He said Belarusian diplomats should be expelled from the EU if Khilo was convicted.

Forty-one-year-old Khilo split his time between working for the EU diplomatic mission and serving as a preacher in a local Baptist church, as confirmed by CV (formerly known as Christian Vision) — an international Christian ministry that monitors the repression of clergy and religious groups.  

According to an unnamed EU official, Khilo was detained by the Belarusian KGB security service in front of the EU delegation office on April 24, 2024. The Viasna Human Rights Center, a human rights organization based in Belarus, recognizes Khilo as a political prisoner.

Although there have recently been eight rounds of pardons of political prisoners in Belarus, 1,240 political prisoners remain behind bars in the country. According to CV, 86 clergymen from various confessions are behind bars because of their public support for anti-government protests in 2020.

‘You’ll die here’ – Belarusian political prisoners recount experiences ahead of Lukashenko’s reelection

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for 30 years, is looking to reelect himself for the seventh time. In the run-up to the January 2025 presidential elections, Lukashenko has pardoned prisoners convicted of extremism, claiming that it was a “humane gesture” toward those…

The Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan

EU border agency: Irregular crossings of eastern border more than tripled in 2024

The number of detected cases of migrants irregularly entering the European Union through its eastern borders more than tripled in 2024, to 17,000, the European border agency Frontex said in a report on Jan. 14.

Following the introduction of European sanctions in 2021 over the contested 2020 presidential election and crackdown on dissent, the regime of Lukashenko orchestrated an artificial migration crisis, allowing migrants from the Middle East and African to storm Belarus-EU borders.

Frontex preliminary data show that while the overall number of irregular border crossings to the European Union declined by 38% (returning to the post-pandemic level of 2021), the eastern border route (including Belarus and Ukraine) bucked the general trend: There were 17,000 illegal crossings of the bloc’s eastern border out of a total of 239,000 crossings recorded in Europe last year.

In 2021, the EU recorded 8,000 illegal crossings of its eastern border, in what Frontex monitoring described as a “hybrid operation targeting the EU external border.” Following an initial settlement that led to a decline in the registered irregular border crossings to 5,608 in 2023, the artificial migration crisis reignited again, with Russia joining the effort.

In late 2024, the EU authorities revealed that 90% of the migrants arriving via Belarus had Russian student or travel visas. The bloc pledged 170 million euros to its eastern members — Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Estonia, and Finland — and to Norway to fortify their borders.

As “hybrid warfare” involving migrants continues, the border security agencies of Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia have thwarted a total of 36,291 attempts to illegally cross their borders from Belarus in 2024.

In 2024, Poland reimposed a 200-meter-wide buffer zone next to its border with Belarus, and considered temporarily suspending the right to asylum.

Belarusian state TV shows jailed journalists ahead of 2025 vote

The Belarusian state-owned TV channel ONT aired on Jan. 14 the first segment of propaganda interviews with journalists held in Belarusian prisons, in an apparent attempt to discredit the work of independent media during the 2020 presidential elections.

In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential elections in Belarus, widely viewed as neither free nor fair, the free media field in Belarus was eradicated. Thirty-seven journalists remain behind bars on politically motivated charges, and hundreds were forced into exile. In 2024 alone, 35 independent media were branded as “extremist” and banned in Belarus.

The first part of the series “about employees of American Media,” was filmed in prisons, yet is titled “Freedom of Speech.” RFE/RL’s Belarus Service freelancer and political prisoner Andrey Kuznechyk, who was charged with six years of imprisonment for allegedly “creating and participating in an extremist formation.”

In the interview, Kuznechyk appears in a black robe in the prison yard, looking emaciated. The interviewer urges him to condemn the independent media in Belarus for biased coverage and “trying to set Belarus on fire” during the 2020 elections.

The program is airing ahead of the Jan. 26 presidential elections, the first presidential vote since the contested 2020 race, which is expected to provide Lukashenko with a seventh consecutive term in office. After winning the country’s first and last fair election in 1994, Lukashenko remained in power for 30 years, gradually giving up parts of Belarusian sovereignty to Russia.

Other segments are to feature RFE/RL Belarus Service journalist Ihar Losik, who has been held incommunicado for nearly two years, as well as former reporter Ihar Karney and opposition activist Yuras Zyankovich, who hold dual citizenship of Belarus and the United States.

The international press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF)  placed Belarus 167th out of 180 countries in its 2024 Press Freedom Index, calling the country the fourth largest jailer of journalists in the world, and Europe's most dangerous country for journalists up until Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Belarusian opposition announces issuing ‘New Belarus’ passports

Political opponents of the regime of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko will start accepting applications for the alternative identity documents for exiled Belarusians on Jan. 26, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has announced on her Telegram channel.

In September 2023, Lukashenko barred Belarusian embassies from issuing or renewing passports of Belarusians living abroad, forcing the regime’s critics to return to Belarus — risking arrest — to renew their essential documents. As a result of Lukashenko’s move, over 300,000 exiles who have fled Belarus since the contested 2020 elections risk finding themselves in legal limbo, unable to prove their identity, renew residence permits, or access essential services in host countries with expired passports.

In response, the Belarusian opposition in exile announced the “New Belarus” passport project in 2023, but there was little progress on it in 2024. After a change of leadership of the project and a scandal involving the Lithuanian contractor for producing the passports — which was found to have ties with the Lukashenko regime — the opposition has since produced the first prototypes of the passport.

However, the new document has yet to be recognized as suitable for travel or as official proof of identity, and it will initially be available only to EU-based Belarusians due to verification constraints, according to project head Marius Gudelaitis.

Franak Viachorka, a chief advisor to Tsikhanouskaya, said that the passports will have “specific functionality” within a year.

“Our goal is that this document can replace a foreign passport, be used for travel, and also replace expired (Belarusian) passports when submitting documents for legalization, for example,” Viachorka told news outlet Zerkalo.

However, the former head of the passport project, Valery Kavaleuski, who earlier resigned from Tsikhanouskaya’s Transitional Cabinet, has warned that gaining recognition for the document under present conditions is unlikely. According to Kavaleuski, the issuing center has had to undergo an independent audit before issuing the documents. Besides, the passport will reportedly use a new country code, instead of the existing Belarusian one, which Kavaleuski described as a "dead end" for the recognition process.

The passport will be presented to the public at the “Belarusians Deserve Better” congress in Warsaw, Poland on Jan. 26 – the same day as Lukashenko's latest presidential election, which has been dismissed as a sham by the Belarusian opposition. Meanwhile, Belarusian prosecutors have already issued warnings that congress participants could face criminal prosecution.

Belarusian soldiers fighting for Ukraine say time is running out for their brother-in-arms extradited to Belarus

In Alexander Lukashenko’s Belarus, helping to defend Ukraine against Russia gets you labeled as a terrorist. Vasil Verameichyk, a Belarusian who enlisted in Ukraine’s Armed Forces just four days after Russia launched its all-out war, was detained on Nov. 13 in Vietnam in a suspected covert operatio…

The Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan

January 14, 2025 11:08pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Slovakia’s pro-Western opposition parties announced plans to initiate a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government, citing concerns over his governance and foreign policy direction, TASR news agency reported on Jan. 14.

The opposition — Progressive Slovakia, Freedom and Solidarity, the Christian Democrats, and others — criticized Fico for undermining Slovakia’s pro-European stance and failing to address domestic issues such as healthcare, rising prices, and administrative inefficiencies.

Opposition leader Michal Simecka of Progressive Slovakia accused Fico of steering Slovakia toward pro-Russian policies. “Fico has left Slovakia,” Simecka said, referencing the prime minister’s recent travels, including a controversial visit to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Fico’s Kremlin-friendly stance has drawn widespread criticism, with accusations that he prioritizes ties with autocratic regimes over Slovakia’s Western alliances.

Protests erupted in Slovakia’s capital on Jan. 3, with thousands chanting pro-EU slogans and condemning Fico’s policies.

The opposition has criticized Fico’s domestic governance, accusing him of neglecting pressing national issues while alienating Slovakia from its Western allies. “We will not allow Fico to turn Slovakia eastward,” Simecka said, as reported by Aktuality.

Efforts to convene an extraordinary parliamentary session to reaffirm Slovakia’s foreign policy orientation failed due to a lack of coalition support. The opposition now plans to use the no-confidence vote as a platform to challenge Fico’s policies and leadership.

Relations between Slovakia and Ukraine have deteriorated after Kyiv allowed a pre-war Russian gas transit deal to expire on Dec. 31, 2024. In retaliation, Fico threatened to reduce aid to Ukrainian refugees and cut electricity exports to Ukraine.

Before Fico’s government took power, Slovakia had been a leading supporter of Ukraine, delivering military aid and fighter jets.

Fico’s administration reversed this policy, halting arms shipments and adopting rhetoric critical of the West’s role in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Public dissatisfaction with Fico’s policies has been growing, as demonstrated by the Bratislava protests. Demonstrators carried Slovak and EU flags, played the EU anthem, and displayed banners like “We are Europe” and “Fico, go to Moscow, leave Slovakia in peace."

Ukraine targets Russia’s industrial plants, ammunition depots in ‘massive’ strike overnight

Chemical plants, refineries, the Engels airbase, and other facilities in Russia were successfully targeted, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine told the Kyiv Independent.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

January 13, 2025 2:09am

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Croatia’s populist incumbent president, Zoran Milanovic, was re-elected to the post by a wide margin on Jan. 12, election results show.

Milanovic defeated Dragan Primorac, the candidate of Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic’s HDZ party, by a margin of 74.7% to 25.3%, with 99% of polls reporting. The total turnout sat around 44% of eligible voters.

Milanovic is a staunch critic of Western aid for Ukraine as well as the country’s future accession into the military alliance. He previously referred to Ukraine’s 2014 Euromaidan protests as a “coup d’état” and has railed against Western allies and Ukraine for not respecting the Minsk Agreements.

In October, Milanovic refused to approve the participation of Croatian soldiers in NATO’s mission to support Ukraine.

Milanovic’s re-election to the largely symbolic position serves as a setback for Plenkovic’s government, whose government was recently embroiled in a corruption scandal implicating a former health minister.

Milanovic, who served as Croatia’s prime minister from 2011 to 2016 amid the country’s accession into the European Union, was first elected to the presidency in 2020 with the support of the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP).

“This is the beginning of the end for Andrej Plenkovic,” SDP leader Sinisa Hajdas Doncic said following Milanovic’s victory.

The Croatian government, mainly aligned with Plenkovic, has strongly supported military aid to Kyiv, including the delivery of 14 Mi-8 helicopters, and Plenkovic himself has made several visits to Ukraine.

Croatian president opposes country’s participation in NATO’s Ukraine mission

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic has refused to approve the participation of Croatian soldiers in NATO’s mission to support Ukraine, citing concerns about the conflict potentially spreading to Croatia and prioritizing the safety of his country.

The Kyiv IndependentSonya Bandouil

January 10, 2025 7:53am

Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has refused to invite a mission from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to observe the country’s upcoming presidential election, the OSCE said in a statement issued Jan. 9.

Lukashenko has been in power for 30 years and is seeking a seventh term on Jan. 26. The regime’s election rigging in 2020 — the last time Belarus held a presidential vote — sparked mass protests and a subsequent violent crackdown.

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said Minsk’s decision not to invite observers was “deeply regrettable” and a violation of the country’s international obligations.

“I deeply regret the decision of the Belarusian authorities not to invite OSCE states through ODIHR to observe the forthcoming presidential election, depriving the country’s citizens of a transparent and full assessment of the entire process,” ODIHR Director Maria Telalian said.

“This decision underscores the continued lack of commitment by the Belarusian authorities to invite other OSCE states to observe and provide an independent view on whether the elections are held in line with OSCE commitments and international democratic standards."

ODIHR said it had reached out to Belarusian officials over the past few months in efforts to secure an invitation to observe the elections, but received no offer.

OSCE monitors were also unable to observe the August 2020 election due to lack of a timely invitation, the organization said.

According to OSCE, the office is still monitoring events in Belarus, despite its inability to observe the Jan. 26 vote.

OSCE urges Tbilisi to institute reforms in final report on Georgian parliamentary elections

“To safeguard the democratic principles currently at stake in Georgia, it is imperative that the authorities urgently address all concerns,” OSCE representative Eoghan Murphy said.

The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert

January 9, 2025 12:20pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

UKRAINE, KHARKIV — On January 7, a photo exhibition called “Dali: I will get my life back” opened in Kharkiv to honor Maksym Kryvtsov (also called Dali), a poet and a soldier, who was killed in a combat mission near Kharkiv a year ago. The exhibition features photographs and personal belongings of the artist and soldier.

Kryvtsov was an activist in Euromaidan protests in 2013, and volunteered to join the army after Russia first invaded in 2014. He remained a soldier after the Russian full-scale invasion and wrote a poetry book “Poems from the Gunport" from the frontline that was published in 2023. 

When the note of his death reached his mother, she wrote on her Facebook: “The violets will grow through my dear son’s body... Oh, God."

Visitors can join the exhibition "Dali: I Will Take Back My Life" at the Makers café on Skovorody Street, 36 in the city center of Kharkiv. It will be open until January 22.   

A fragment of GM’s translation of one of Maksym Kryvtsov’s poems: 

If war is a song,

then it’s a song without words,

a song without notes,

without music,

a song

that was sung before humans

before the world was made,

a song without song and a song of all songs. 

The exhibition is part of nationwide activities organized in honor of Kryvtsov. Visitors will be able to donate and receive merchandise featuring Dali's quotes and drawings. The funds raised will support the activities of the charity fund bearing his name.

The memory platform Memorial was created to tell more people about Maksym's Kryvtsov. The authors of this project put together his biography facts, memories of relatives and friends about Maksym, and his poetry, and photos to reveal his personality and reconstruct his life path.

Read more

• “Do not appease evil.” Ukraine’s public figures appeal to world leaders, urge against freezing war, concessions to Russia
• In photos: Memorial to defenders of Ukraine opened in Kharkiv

The post “Dali: I will get my life back.” Kharkiv remembers poet, soldier Maksym Kryvtsov 1 year after he was killed in combat mission in Russia’s war appeared first on Gwara Media.

January 8, 2025 8:30pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos USA

Reading Time: 18 minutes

Ben Borges

The Russian opposition is an odd bunch. While not supporting Russia’s brutal all-out war against Ukraine and its people, the leaders of the so-called opposition don’t want their country to lose.

A number of those who oppose Russian President Vladimir Putin and his regime have petitioned for the West to lift sanctions imposed on Russia for the war it had begun and the war crimes it had committed.

Garry Kasparov, Russian chess grandmaster and political activist, is not among them. Supporting Ukraine militarily and making sure it wins is a moral imperative, says Kasparov.

A staunch critic of authoritarianism, Kasparov wrote about the dangers posed by Putin’s rule for years.

His 2015 book, “Winter Is Coming: Why Vladimir Putin and the Enemies of the Free World Must Be Stopped,” outlined Russia’s political threat to global security.

Over the past three years, Kasparov has repeatedly argued that any chance at Russia becoming a democratic country not only requires its total military defeat but a shedding of its imperialistic legacy — a stance not widely embraced by other Russian opposition figures.

In an interview with the Kyiv Independent, Kasparov shared his thoughts on the current state of the Russian opposition, why they’re looking for a “good tsar” to replace Putin, and why he’ll push back at those who insist it’s “Putin’s war” rather than Russia’s war.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Kyiv Independent: Living in the West, you’re well-placed to comment on its perceptions of Russia. There are these centuries-old ideas like the “Russian soul” or the warning not to “poke the Russian bear."

Do you think the enduring popularity of these ideas has contributed to both the West’s fear of Russian escalation but also this misplaced compassion for Russians as some tortured souls who are just misunderstood?

Garry Kasparov: You know, I think it’s a matter of looking for a black cat in a dark room — something that is simply not there. That’s the crux of the problem. I remember, back when I was younger, my friend Yury Afanasyev, a brilliant historian, said that Russian literature was one of the most fertile sources of Russian nationalism. At the time, I instinctively disagreed. But now I see he was right.

American exceptionalism is rooted in tangible concepts like living standards, respect for human rights, and the rule of law. Russian exceptionalism, on the other hand, leans more toward the mystical. It’s tied to the notion that being Russian means having a special connection to a higher power. However, Russian history provides no evidence of such a unique connection. We need to delve deeply and understand, on a fundamental level, why the idea of the “Russian soul” remains so resistant to external influences.

The war in Ukraine has shown us that when we celebrated the fall of communism in 1991, we failed to grasp that communism was merely a facade for an underlying imperialist matrix.

Whether it’s the tsars, the Bolsheviks, or Putin, this imperialism always finds a way to emerge.

I've been saying for the past three years that there's only one way to dismantle this imperial matrix: the Ukrainian flag has to fly over Sevastopol again. As long as the idea of Russia's messianic mission endures, nothing will truly change. You need to shatter it with a visual shock. This is likely the best — perhaps the only — way to give Russia a chance to reform itself into a normal nation-state in the true sense of the word.

The Kyiv Independent: One might say that living abroad can deepen or distance one's understanding of their home country. How has it been for you and the way you look at Russia?

Garry Kasparov: Undoubtedly, when you step away, you lose a certain connection to things on the ground. Some things are no longer tied to your immediate senses. However, if you want to analyze the bigger picture, distance can be helpful because you're no longer caught up in the daily routine. From afar, you gain a sense of objectivity. After all, why do you need to be on the inside to understand what's happening — especially when you've been predicting it for so long?

My first warning about Vladimir Putin and the potential dangers he posed came on Jan. 4, 2001, in a piece I wrote for The Wall Street Journal. When he began attacking free media and television, I immediately recognized the signs — his statements like "once KGB, always KGB," and actions like restoring the conservative Soviet anthem.

The writing was on the wall.

On April 25, 2005, during his State of the Nation address, he declared that "the collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century." That statement was the defining moment. It was a clear declaration of intent to rebuild the Russian Empire — not necessarily within the same borders, but rather a return to the kind of world where the underlying principle is that "might makes right." This is the world Putin understands.

What's tragic is that even now, after so much blood has been spilled, there are still people in the free world trying to find some kind of compromise or middle ground to return to. What they fail to recognize is that you cannot negotiate with this kind of evil for a simple reason: Putin views this as a war of destruction, not a war for territorial gains. Giving him a piece of Ukrainian territory won't change his calculations — it will only whet his appetite. His ultimate goal includes the destruction of Ukrainian statehood because Ukrainian statehood is one of the pillars of this world order he seeks to dismantle.

When you examine the attitudes of politicians in the West — in Germany, Britain, or America — it's striking. Even after (the occupation of) Crimea, after countless wars, after Syria, many still fail to grasp the situation.

Looking at the world's conflicts today, you see Putin as a spider at the center of the web. Yet, there remains a persistent tendency among many Western politicians to seek common ground, negotiate, and find ways to avoid the magic word — escalation. This approach is utterly misguided because the surest way to escalate is to show weakness. Everyone knows that when facing a predator, you must hold your ground and look it in the eye. If you turn your back, you're done for.

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The Kyiv Independent: With increasing discussions about the possibility of negotiations and freezing conflict lines even among Ukrainian officials, the prospect of the Ukrainian flag flying over Sevastopol again, unfortunately, seems distant. Do you think the lack of a decisive military defeat could further radicalize pro-war sentiments in Russia?

Garry Kasparov: I don't think there's a strong pro-war sentiment in Russia. Instead, it's more about accepting the war as inevitable. There's very little opposition to it — let's be honest. At its peak, perhaps 15 percent of people opposed the war on moral grounds. I'm skeptical of any numbers coming from Putin's Russia, but the so-called Crimean consensus — 86 percent in favor — likely reflects the true mindset. In the early days of the full-scale invasion, I don't think more than 10 percent of the population opposed the war on moral grounds, which still amounts to 15 to 20 million people. Those who wholeheartedly supported the war were a smaller group, likely a surge of fervent supporters. The rest were more conformist, going along with it because the war brought some material benefits.

"At its peak, perhaps 15 percent of [Russian] people opposed the war on moral grounds."

I don't think there's the same fanatical belief in the cause as there was in Nazi Germany or Stalin's Soviet Union because there's no real future in this for most people. But there's compliance because there's not much else to do. If you look at the living standards in Russia, the full-scale invasion has actually acted like a drug, inflating everything, including people's earnings.

While it may not last, it created a kind of new consensus in society. Putin managed to avoid massive mobilization from big cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg, drawing most soldiers from the countryside, poor regions, and prisons.

So far, the war hasn't had the same impact on society as mass mobilization would have, nor has it caused body bags to arrive in Moscow or St. Petersburg.

I see no evidence that any potential deal could be made. And while I'm not in favor of a deal, that's not my decision. I understand that the Ukrainian leadership must deal with reality. We also have to acknowledge that the cowardly stance of the free world has left Ukraine with very few options on the table.

It's a shame that all the weapons developed and manufactured in America — specifically to fight Russia — are still collecting dust in storage or sitting unused in the deserts of California and Nevada. The NATO alliance, which was created for the sole purpose of stopping Russian aggression in Europe, is now debating whether Ukraine belongs in it. Ukraine is the only country that has fought and is still fighting for NATO's core mission — not sending troops to Afghanistan or Iraq but preventing a Russian invasion.

While the idea of the Ukrainian flag flying over Sevastopol may take longer than we all hope, I still believe that without a decisive military defeat, there won't be substantial change in Russia.

The Kyiv Independent: Why do you think some opposition figures — such as Ilya Yashin, Yulia Navalnaya, and her late husband, Alexei Navalny — often frame their arguments to the Russian public against Russian aggression in economic terms rather than moral ones?

Garry Kasparov: Because they live within this paradigm of good Putin, bad Putin, good Tsar, bad Tsar, with no real interest in eliminating the imperial nature of the Russian state. This is the fundamental difference. When people talk about the Russian opposition, I ask: opposition to what? Reducing everything to Putin and his entourage is historically wrong because the true foundation of Russian aggression is the Russian Empire itself — its imperial mindset.

You can talk about corruption, but in a way, it actually helped Ukraine. Without it, the Russian army could have been much stronger. Thanks to the corruption of Russian generals, who stole probably half of the military budget, Ukraine has had a better chance of survival. Ultimately, the whole idea of continuing to expose corruption is irrelevant — corruption makes Putin weaker, not stronger.

Many of them dream of the day they can return to Russia, campaign, and address Russian voters. But if they see themselves doing that, they think they need to say, "We never took the other side, even when our country was wrong; we tried to stay neutral." Honestly, that's a moral dilemma I don't understand. For me, it's clear: we're fighting Putin, Putin's fascism, and everything connected to him. At the core of it all is this imperial matrix, and we have to win the war. The Ukrainian army is the only force fighting against it. So, helping Ukraine and supporting the army with all available means is the right decision. That's the only moral position — it's really that simple.

Ukraine's victory must include a full restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity. It must also include reparations to be paid. Russia must pay for this. It is crucial to punish war criminals, whether that happens in The Hague, in Russia, or by whatever international tribunal, and there should be no compromise on this.

Someone might hear this and think, "Why don't you (and other members of the Russian opposition) just find common ground? Why don't you work together?" I'm happy to work together, as long as we see the world through the same lens. Yes, we can argue about many things, but when it comes to fundamental moral issues — matters of life and death — that's what truly matters.

The Kyiv Independent: Do you think that's why they insist on calling it "Putin's war" rather than Russia's war?

Garry Kasparov: Absolutely, that's the point. As I've mentioned elsewhere, it's not about whether Putin personally killed someone — he probably did early on in his career — but he gives orders, and those orders are executed. I haven't heard of mass desertion in the Russian military, just some desertion, but not on a large scale.

These are orders being carried out, and many acts of cruelty show this isn't just about Putin; it's a mentality. Ignoring this and claiming it's all Putin's doing is an attempt to distort the truth. It's not politics, and to suggest otherwise is morally wrong.

"If people continue to say this is Putin's war, I will push back, rejecting that notion as absolutely inconceivable."

As much as I don't want to argue, if people continue to say this is Putin's war, I will push back, rejecting that notion as absolutely inconceivable. It's simply ignoring reality. I'm happy to debate when there are many unknowns, but no one knows better than those fighting on the Russian side that they plan to destroy Ukraine. They are attacking kindergartens and hospitals — they know exactly what they're doing when they press the button to launch missile and drone attacks. Who presses that button? It's not just Putin.

The Kyiv Independent: In retrospect, what was the Russian opposition's greatest failure leading to 2022?

Garry Kasparov: The last moment the Russian opposition had a chance to change things was back in 2011-2012 after Putin returned to power. Unfortunately, we couldn't generate enough momentum with the protests on the streets of Moscow. It was over after that. Over the next decade, it became clear that the system was fake. You could have participated in some elections, but they were absolutely meaningless. What did those elections accomplish? I had several debates with (members of the Russian opposition) about this.

My point was simple: if you find yourself in a bad position, like in chess, it doesn't mean you have to make a bad move. Many young people were misled by the claims that they only needed to go out and protest. But what was the goal? Putin was firmly in power, and these opposition activities, without clear goals, couldn't change anything inside the country. They only created the wrong image in the free world.

While in exile, I've met with top politicians and given interviews. Whenever I spoke out about this, people would say, "Mr. Kasparov, you're a great chess player, but we're talking about Russia, not the Soviet Union. You have Navalny, you have others." But by saying so, they were essentially helping Putin build his war machine and providing cover for him.

A good example was back in 2018 or 2019, just before COVID. The question arose about restoring Russia's membership in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the Strasbourg Court of Human Rights. I wrote an open letter to Heiko Maas, then Germany's Foreign Affairs Minister, saying it was absolutely immoral.

Russia had violated every provision of that organization — every rule. They were occupying Ukraine's sovereign land, just as they had done with Georgia.

He, of course, never responded to me directly, but there was an indirect response. He gave another interview, saying, "Yes, we've heard some pushback," without naming me. He also mentioned having a letter from 39 human rights organizations in Russia supporting the restoration of Russia's membership in the Strasbourg Human Rights Court.

Meanwhile, some organizations are pretending that they're operating in Russia. It's clear that it's about funding. Millions of dollars are still being wasted on these fake activities in Russia by organizations that never did anything useful there.

Millions of dollars are still being wasted on these fake activities in Russia by organizations that never did anything useful there.

Now, in exile, they continue pretending. They claim they must protect their people, but I say stop this nonsense. Nothing is happening in Russia. These people pretend they're making a difference. They speak about demonstrations and say they're against the war, but that's not enough.

We must support Ukraine's victory in this war. You never hear them say Ukraine must win. It's always about stopping the war, but at this point, maybe even Putin wants to stop it for his own reasons.

There is no common ground between us. This is unfortunate because it creates bad optics, but the reality is that most of the Russian opposition, or those who believe they are opposition, don't realize that it's not enough. They still hold on to the idea of a "good Putin" alternative, essentially wanting to replace the bad Putin with a "good Tsar."

The Kyiv Independent: Given the current state of the Russian opposition, particularly with so many figures now in exile, what do you believe is the most effective approach to challenging Putin's regime and supporting Russia's future?

Garry Kasparov: Well, I'd like to ask again — what opposition? This so-called opposition has failed to make meaningful change, and I don't see how anything can be done at this point except supporting Ukraine in winning the war.

Right now, it's about surviving this onslaught and winning. This illustrates the key differences in our approaches.

From the very beginning of the full-scale invasion, I proposed an idea later supported by Mikhail Khodorkovsky: we should offer every Russian who opposes the war and wants to leave the country the chance to do so after signing a declaration. We worked out the Berlin Declaration, which was a mild statement compared to the Free Russia Forum Council's format, but it contained three key points: the war is criminal, the regime is illegitimate, and Crimea is Ukraine.

It's a simple test — if someone is willing to sign it, we need to find a way for them to leave the country, obtain a visa, and find a place in the free world.

There are several important aspects to this plan. One is that it can impact the intellectual class in Russia — people involved in finance, business, IT, and engineering, including those who could possess the kind of knowledge that would have them working on the development of missiles.

I'm not offering a moral defense for them, but before criticizing anyone, we need to give them a chance to leave. So far, Putin has gained a significant ideological advantage because these people see that the world doesn't want them. As a result, hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of Russians — crucial to Putin's war machine — remain in Russia. Without them, Putin's economy, especially his war economy, would collapse.

This was the plan, but strangely, many of our colleagues in the opposition were not happy. They argued that we can't let people leave because who will protest against Putin? But I don't see people needing to stay just to protest. We could help these people leave, work with them, and build what I call "Russian Taiwan" — a network of the future free Russia.

When the moment comes, and the regime collapses, those who want to return can come back, and they would be the new ruling elite. But the opposition rejected this idea. For example, did you ever hear Yulia Navalnaya talk about something along those lines? She has met with many prime ministers and presidents but never mentioned anything like it.

Instead, they all rejected the idea because, in their view, it wasn't a good one. That's exactly what Putin needs — people to stay and oppose the idea of leaving.

So, if someone calls themselves a member of the Russian opposition, tell me, what is your goal? I know what our goal is.

The Free Russia Forum, which I co-founded, believes that Ukraine must win — that is our only chance. We must work toward Ukraine's victory and create momentum for Russia's defeat.

Only then can we begin to consider what comes next.

Historian Marci Shore: Putin’s obsession with denazification is ‘Freudian projection’

The return of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to political life has raised uncomfortable questions about the future, not only within the U.S. but also on the global stage. This is particularly true for countries like Ukraine, which relies on U.S. aid as it’s locked in a

The Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan

January 8, 2025 2:12pm

Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Photos and a video of Viktar Babaryka were published by blogger Raman Pratasevich on Jan. 8 after the jailed Belarusian opposition leader was held incommunicado since February 2023.

The footage was released weeks after Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 20 political prisoners in an apparent goodwill gesture ahead of the presidential election on Jan. 26.

Lukashenko has ruled the country since 1994, cementing his power through widespread repressions, secret police, and electoral fraud. The dictator claimed victory in the last 2020 election after rigging the vote and violently suppressing the subsequent protests and is expected to secure his seventh term later this month.

Photos of Babaryka and an excerpt from his video appeal to relatives have been published on the Telegram channel of Pratasevich, formerly a dissident and editor-in-chief of the opposition news channel Nexta who became a regime apologist after his arrest in 2021 and subsequent pardon.

The pictures show the opposition leader dressed in black clothes, with a yellow sign designating him as “prone to extremist activities,” writing something on paper. According to the Viasna human rights group, Babaryka has not been seen since Feb. 5, 2023.

Pratasevich said he had passed letters between Babaryka and his family members.

Babaryka intended to run for the 2020 presidential election but was rejected and, in 2021, sentenced to 14 years in prison on charges of bribery and tax evasion broadly seen as politically motivated.

In a similar case last November, photos of imprisoned activist Maria Kalesnikava, who headed Babaryka’s electoral campaign and later worked with another oppositionist, Sviatlana Tsikahnouskaya, emerged after more than 600 days of no communication.

‘You’ll die here’ – Belarusian political prisoners recount experiences ahead of Lukashenko’s reelection

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for 30 years, is looking to reelect himself for the seventh time. In the run-up to the January 2025 presidential elections, Lukashenko has pardoned prisoners convicted of extremism, claiming that it was a “humane gesture” toward those…

The Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan

January 6, 2025 10:26pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos USA

Reading Time: 13 minutes

Ben Borges

Key developments on Jan. 6:

• Ukraine strikes 3 Russian air defense systems in single day, Navy claims
• 3,800 North Korean troops killed or injured in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, Zelensky says
• Ukraine’s position in Kursk Oblast important for possible negotiations, Blinken says
• Zelensky offered to buy weapons from incoming Trump administration with frozen Russian assets
• Lukashenko apologized to Zelensky for Belarus' role, denied responsibility early in Russia’s invasion, Zelensky says
• Russia fueling Transnistria energy crisis for propaganda, destabilization, Moldova says
• Macron sees no ‘quick and easy solution’ to Ukraine, urges ‘realistic’ discussions on territory

Two Russian anti-missile Pantsir-S1 systems and one OSA anti-aircraft vehicle were damaged or destroyed by Ukraine’s Navy in one day, the military branch claimed on Jan. 6.

“Our soldiers continue to turn Russian equipment into scrap metal,” Ukrainian Navy Commander Oleksii Neizhpapa said in a Facebook post referring to the three successful attacks.

In his post, Neizhpapa shared a video apparently depicting a drone zeroing in on a Russian Pantsir-S1 vehicle, claiming that the two Pantsir-S1 were destroyed in the occupied territory of Ukraine’s Kherson Oblast.

A Pantsir S-1 has an estimated price tag of around $15 million. One such system is suspected to be behind the mistaken downing of an Azerbaijani plane on Dec. 25, according to the media.

Developed in the Soviet Union in the 1960s, the 9K33 Osa (SA-8 Gecko according to NATO terminology) is a highly mobile, short-range, low-altitude surface-to-air missile system still in use by Russia, Ukraine, and a dozen other countries.

The Osa has been used with great effect by the Russian Armed Forces against Ukrainian drones, with some experts linking it to Ukraine scaling down the use of its once-popular Bayraktar drones.

The system functions as an all-in-one transporter erector launcher and radar (TELAR) vehicle that can detect and attack enemy targets independently.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the Navy’s claims nor the extent of the damage done to the Russian anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems.

Russia has lost 1,034 air defense systems since the full-scale invasion began, Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported before the news of the three successful hits surfaced.

Russia claims to capture Kurakhove, Ukraine says fighting ongoing in the sector

Ukraine’s Khortytsia group of forces reported on Jan. 6 that battles are ongoing in the Kurakhove sector.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

3,800 North Korean troops killed or injured in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, Zelensky says

A total of 3,800 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman published on Jan. 5.

Pyongyang sent upwards of 12,000 North Korean soldiers into Kursk Oblast in the fall of 2024, amid an agreement to help counter a surprise Ukrainian incursion into the region which began on Aug. 6.

Ukrainian forces have been fighting to hold onto territory in the region ever since in hopes it can be used as a bargaining chip in future negotiations with Russia.

Zelensky, in his wide-ranging interview with Lex Fridman, added that Pyongyang has the capabilities to bring additional North Korean troops to the front, as many as 30,000 -40,000 troops.

Ukraine reportedly ramped up its operations in Kursk Oblast with a new offensive on Jan. 5, with mixed reports surfacing on outcome of the renewed push from Kyiv.

The renewed offensive comes amid significant losses among Russian and North Korean forces during recent clashes, Zelensky said in his evening address on Jan. 4, citing information from Ukraine’s top commander.

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on Dec. 27 that North Korean units had been carrying out “human wave” attacks against Ukrainian positions in Kursk Oblast, with little effect — amounting to high casualty totals.

Kirby added that North Korean soldiers have reportedly taken their own lives rather than surrender to Ukrainian troops, out of fear their families will be targeted over their capture.

Ukraine and Russia are rushing to make up ground in Kursk Oblast before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes power on Jan. 2o. Trump has previously said he would end the war in “24 hours” with potential peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

U.S. officials told Bloomberg on Dec. 27 that they believe Ukraine may only have a few months left in its incursion into Kursk Oblast until Ukraine’s military is forced to retreat from the region or risk being encircled by Russian forces.

The comments come as Ukraine has steadily lost ground in the region amid Russian counterattacks. Ukraine has reportedly lost over 40% of territory it previously gained in due to renewed Russian efforts.

Heavy Russian, North Korean losses in Russia’s Kursk region, Zelensky says

“In battles yesterday and today near a single village, Makhnovka, in Kursk region, the Russian army lost up to a battalion of North Korean infantry soldiers and Russian paratroops,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on Jan. 4.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

Ukraine’s position in Kursk Oblast important for possible negotiations, Blinken says

Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Jan. 6 that Ukrainian positions in Russia’s Kursk Oblast could play an important role in possible talks with Russia, the AFP news agency reported.

The Biden administration, whose term expires in a few weeks, has sped up the delivery of military assistance to Ukraine to put Kyiv in the strongest possible position in potential peace negotiations.

“Their (Ukraine’s) position in Kursk is an important one because certainly it’s something that would factor in any negotiation that may come about in the coming year,” Blinken told reporters in Seoul.

The comments come at the heels of reports of Ukraine launching new offensive operations in Kursk Oblast after months of being on the defensive.

Ukraine launched the cross-border incursion in early August, allegedly seizing 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian soil. Since then, Moscow has deployed reinforcements, including thousands of North Korean soldiers, and reportedly recaptured around half of the lost territory.

President Volodymyr Zelensky also called the Kursk incursion an important “trump card” in any potential talks.

There are growing expectations of possible peace talks in 2025 as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office on Jan. 20, pledged to bring both sides to the negotiating table.

Trump’s return to the White House sparked concerns among Ukraine’s allies due to the president-elect’s past criticism of the Biden administration’s support for Kyiv.

In comments made since his reelection, Trump hinted at a possible reduction of U.S. assistance but said he would not “abandon” the country, instead aiming to leverage Washington’s aid to push Russia to negotiate.

Ukraine launches new offensive in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, mixed reports surface on outcome

Ukrainian troops attacked Russian forces in several directions in Kursk Oblast, Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s counter-disinformation center, claimed on Jan. 5. Reports by Russian pro-war Telegram channels have echoed the statement, saying that a new Kyiv offensive is underway.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova

Zelensky offered to buy weapons from incoming Trump administration with frozen Russian assets

President Volodymyr Zelensky previously offered U.S. President-elect Donald Trump for Ukraine to buy American weapons at the expense of $300 billion in frozen Russian assets, Zelensky revealed in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman published on Jan. 5.

“This is one of the security guarantees. Take the money, what we need for our interior production, and we will buy all the weapons from the United States. We don’t need gifts from the United States,” Zelensky said in his wide-ranging interview with Fridman.

“It will be very good for your industry. For the United States. We will put money there. Russian money. Not Ukrainian. Not European. Russian money. Russian assets. They have to pay for this,” Zelensky added.

Zelensky did not comment on Trump’s reaction to the suggestion.

Trump and his team have been critical of U.S. spending to support Ukraine. Michael Waltz, Trump’s appointed National Security Advisor for his upcoming term said on Dec. 15 that a “blank check… just isn’t a strategy."

Despite previously criticizing U.S. aid for Ukraine, the Financial Times reported on Dec. 21, citing undisclosed sources, that Trump may not halt U.S. military support for Ukraine.

Zelensky has taken steps to foster a positive relationship with Trump, despite previously having a fraught relationship stemming from Trump’s 2019 impeachment trial. The two leaders met on Sept. 27 in the midst of the U.S. presidential election campaign. They met again on the sidelines of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron on Dec. 7.

“He (Trump) is strong… He is young… and his brains work,” Zelensky said when asked why he thinks Trump won the U.S. presidential election in November.

Zelensky previously said that the country must do everything possible to end the war through diplomatic means in 2025, adding that a war would “end faster” under a Trump administration.

SBU behind drone attack on one of Russia’s largest sea trade ports in Leningrad Oblast, source claims

The Kyiv Independent’s source shared a video purporting to show one of the drones hitting gas condensate tanks. One tank was heavily damaged, and three others suffered by explosive debris, they added.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova

Lukashenko apologized to Zelensky for Belarus' role, denied responsibility early in Russia’s invasion, Zelensky says

Shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion began, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko apologized to President Volodymyr Zelensky over the country’s involvement in the war, Zelensky revealed in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman published on Jan. 5.

“A few days into the war, I spoke with Lukashenko on the phone, and he apologized… he said, ‘It was not me, missiles were launched from my territory, and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin was the one launching them.’ These are his words, I have witnesses,” Zelensky said in his wide-ranging interview.

"‘And I apologize,’ he said. ‘But believe me’ — that’s what he told me — ‘Volodya (referring to Volodymyr Zelensky), this is not me. I’m not in charge,'” Zelensky added.

In response, Zelensky said that he called Lukashenko “a murderer,” questioning why Lukashenko allowed Russia to launch missiles at Ukraine from Belarusian territory.

Lukashenko became increasingly reliant on Russia after isolating Belarus from the West, following Belarus’ 2020 election. Lukashenko’s opposition and the West condemned the results as fraudulent.

Lukashenko cracked down on mass protests that broke out in response to the fraudulent election results. Since then, Belarusian authorities have increasingly suppressed political freedoms and have become complacent in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Despite not being directly involved in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Belarus continues to host Russian troops and missiles on its territory.

Lukashenko asked Putin on Dec. 6 to deploy the Oreshnik missile systems in Belarus, a weapon Russia recently used to strike Ukraine, Russian state-controlled news agency RIA Novosti reported. As many as 10 missile systems will be deployed, according to pro-Kremlin journalist Alexander Yunashev.

Belarus will be holding its next presidential election on Jan. 26 where Lukashenko is expected to be handed a seventh term in office.

Lukashenko to visit China ahead of Belarus presidential elections

The reported visit will be Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s third trip to China in three years. Lukashenko is likely looking to reduce Belarusian dependence on Russia, Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation said.

The Kyiv IndependentVolodymyr Ivanyshyn

Russia fueling Transnistria energy crisis for propaganda, destabilization, Moldova says

The energy crisis in Transnistria, triggered by Russia’s Jan. 1 cutoff of gas supplies, is part of a broader Russian plan to manipulate and spread propaganda, Moldovan government spokesperson Daniel Voda said on Jan. 6.

“Russian propaganda tries to create a story in which Moldova becomes a ‘problematic actor,’ although the government has proposed clear solutions to avoid the crisis,” he said.

Gazprom, Russia’s state-controlled energy giant, halted gas deliveries to Moldova, citing alleged unpaid debts by Moldovagaz. Moldovan officials disputed these claims, noting an international audit failed to verify the debts.

Transnistria, a Russian-occupied region since the early 1990s, relies heavily on Russian gas and has faced industrial collapse due to widespread power outages and heating failures.

Voda said the crisis reflects Russia’s deliberate effort to create fear and unrest. “This energy crisis is more than an economic problem — it is part of a larger Russian plan of manipulation and propaganda designed to create fear and discontent on both banks of the Dnister."

Nearly 72,000 homes and 1,500 high-rise buildings in Transnistria are without heating or hot water, according to Vadim Krasnoselsky, leader of the region’s Russian-backed administration.

Moldova previously offered to help Transnistria purchase gas through European platforms, but local Russian-backed authorities rejected the proposal, claiming Western energy prices are “higher and unstable."

The spokesperson criticized the refusal, calling it a failure to “cooperate for the benefit of the people.” Russian propaganda has sought to blame Chisinau for the crisis, alleging that Moldovan authorities intentionally caused power outages to punish the region, Voda said.

While a transit agreement for Russian gas through Ukraine expired on the same day, Gazprom maintains that Moldova’s debts, not transit issues, prompted the suspension.

While the rest of Moldova has transitioned to European energy supplies through Romania, Transnistria remains heavily dependent on Russian gas.

Transnistria’s electricity supply system faces collapse amid gas shortage, Moldovan official warns

The electricity supply system in the Russian-occupied Moldovan region of Transnistria is under risk of collapse after the halt of Russian gas flow, a high-ranking official of Moldova’s Energy Ministry warned in a Facebook post on Jan. 5.

The Kyiv IndependentBoldizsar Gyori

Macron sees no ‘quick and easy solution’ to Ukraine, urges ‘realistic’ discussions on territory

French President Emmanuel Macron on Jan. 6 called on Ukraine to have “realistic discussions on territorial issues” as they alone can conduct them.

“There will be no quick and easy solution in Ukraine,” Macron said in an address to French ambassadors in the Elysee Palace. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has previously vowed to bring both sides to the negotiating table and swiftly end the war.

“The U.S. must help us to change the nature of the situation and convince Russia to come to the negotiating table,” Macron said in comments quoted by France24.

Russia currently occupies around 20% of Ukrainian territory. President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged that Ukraine’s military currently lacks the strength to retake all of it by force, noting that some regions, like Crimea, will have to be liberated through diplomatic means.

In his address, the French head of state warned of repercussions for Europe and the U.S. should Ukraine emerge from the war on the losing side.

“The new American president himself knows that the U.S. has no chance of winning anything if Ukraine loses,” Macron said.

France’s president also said that it would be up to European countries to “build security guarantees” for Ukraine, a statement in line with his calls for greater European strategic autonomy.

Paris has spearheaded the idea of deploying European peacekeepers to Ukraine after a possible ceasefire deal is reached. Trump, who vowed to get the U.S. “out” of the conflict, has reportedly backed the idea, while Russia has rejected it.

Trump’s imminent return to the White House, Ukraine’s military setbacks, and Russia’s growing economic difficulties have contributed to expectations of possible peace talks in 2025.

Kyiv’s allies have said they seek to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for any possible negotiations, with German government saying on Jan. 6 that peace cannot be “dictated” from Moscow.

‘Putin is afraid of Trump’s administration’ – Estonian foreign minister on potential Russia-Ukraine negotiations

As Ukraine and Europe enter 2025 with a worsening situation on the battlefield and the incoming Trump administration hoping to quickly reach some kind of peace in Russia’s all-out war, the first months of the year look to be fundamental in deciding the outcome of the war. While much

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell

January 6, 2025 5:38am

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion began, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko apologized to President Volodymyr Zelensky over the country’s involvement in the war, Zelensky revealed in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman published on Jan. 5.

“A few days into the war, I spoke with Lukashenko on the phone, and he apologized… he said, ‘It was not me, missiles were launched from my territory, and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin was the one launching them.’ These are his words, I have witnesses,” Zelensky said in his wide-ranging interview.

"‘And I apologize,’ he said. ‘But believe me’ — that’s what he told me — ‘Volodya (referring to Volodymyr Zelensky), this is not me. I’m not in charge,'" Zelensky added.

In response, Zelensky said that he called Lukashenko “a murderer,” questioning why Lukashenko allowed Russia to launch missiles at Ukraine from Belarusian territory.

Lukashenko became increasingly reliant on Russia after isolating Belarus from the West, following Belarus’ 2020 election. Lukashenko’s opposition and the West condemned the results as fraudulent.

Lukashenko cracked down on mass protests that broke out in response to the fraudulent election results. Since then, Belarusian authorities have increasingly suppressed political freedoms and have become complacent in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Despite not being directly involved in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Belarus continues to host Russian troops and missiles on its territory.

Lukashenko asked Putin on Dec. 6 to deploy the Oreshnik missile systems in Belarus, a weapon Russia recently used to strike Ukraine, Russian state-controlled news agency RIA Novosti reported. As many as 10 missile systems will be deployed, according to pro-Kremlin journalist Alexander Yunashev.

Belarus will be holding its next presidential election on Jan. 26 where Lukashenko is expected to be handed a seventh term in office.

Lukashenko to visit China ahead of Belarus presidential elections

The reported visit will be Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s third trip to China in three years. Lukashenko is likely looking to reduce Belarusian dependence on Russia, Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation said.

The Kyiv IndependentVolodymyr Ivanyshyn

January 5, 2025 4:08am

Russia Protests Photos

Ben Borges

Georgian citizens are being urged to participate in a nationwide strike on Jan. 15 to demand the release of detained protestors and to call for new elections, Protest 24 posted on Facebook.

The strike, organized by Protest 24, will begin at 3 p.m. and last for three hours, with businesses and employees halting work during this time.

Organizers aim to highlight the potential consequences of political isolation, such as economic stagnation, unemployment, and poverty.

The dissatisfaction of citizens, stemming from disputed parliamentary elections in October, has intensified with the controversial inauguration of Mikheil Kavelashvili and the government’s stance against European integration.

The ruling Georgian Dream party, founded by oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, has led Georgia closer to the Kremlin while hindering its accession to the European Union. The controversial foreign agents law adopted earlier this year led the EU to effectively freeze Georgia’s accession process.

Protesters hope the strike will underscore public frustration and push for democratic reforms.

Over 20 foreign citizens to be deported from Georgia for participating in protests

The Migration Department of the Georgian Interior Ministry has initiated expulsion proceedings against 25 foreign nationals.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

January 4, 2025 5:52pm

Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

The Georgian government is planning to deport 25 foreigners for participating in mass protests in November and December 2024, News Georgia reported on Jan. 4, citing a Georgian Interior Ministry statement.

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.

The Migration Department of the Georgian Interior Ministry has initiated expulsion proceedings against 25 foreign nationals who participated in the protests in Tbilisi in November and December. The court also imposed various administrative penalties on them.

The ministry added that 10 out of 25 citizens have already left Georgia’s territory, without specifying which countries they are citizens of.

There are no official statistics on foreigners detained during the protests. Over 20 of the nearly 450 arrested were foreign nationals, most of them Russians, News Georgia reported, citing reports by NGOs and other media.

In December, foreigners who attended the protests began to be summoned en masse to the Migration Department.

Human rights activists noted that this practice did not comply with international standards and warned that the deportation of foreign nationals for participating in peaceful demonstrations was contrary to national law.

Some 91 foreigners were ordered to leave the country between November and December 2024. According to News Georgia, more than a quarter of them participated in anti-government protests.

The ruling party, founded by oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, has led Georgia closer to the Kremlin while hindering its accession to the European Union. The controversial foreign agents law adopted earlier this year led the EU to effectively freeze Georgia’s accession process.

The parliamentary elections and ensuing political crisis sparked a wave of large-scale 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.

Protests in Georgia, explained

For the fifth day in a row, Georgians are holding massive protests against their government in the country’s capital, Tbilisi. The brewing dissatisfaction was ignited by the country’s democratic backsliding under the leadership of the pro-Russian, increasingly illiberal government. The final straw…

The Kyiv IndependentElsa Court

January 4, 2025 5:55am

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko will visit China this month ahead of the Jan. 26 presidential elections, Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation reported on Jan. 3.

With Belarus isolated from the West due to Lukashenko’s repressive regime and continued support for Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, Lukashenko has found China to be a key ally. In August the two nations pledged to strengthen security ties and improve cooperation.

Lukashenko is looking to improve mutual cooperation between Belarus and China in various fields, including pharmaceuticals, mechanical engineering, and the defense industry, the Center for Countering Disinformation reported.

Lukashenko is likely looking to reduce Belarusian dependence on Russia and strengthen his hand in his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Center said.

Belarus is under pressure from Russia due to economic and energy dependency, debt from Russian loans, and Moscow’s military presence in Belarus. Lukashenko is also likely angling for China to mediate a reopening of trade routes from Belarus to the EU, according to the Center.

The trip will mark Lukashenko’s third visit to China in three years.

Lukashenko has been in power for 30 years and is seeking a seventh term on Jan. 26. The Belarusian presidential elections are not expected to be free or fair.

When Belarus last held elections in 2020, mass protests broke out and the West condemned the election results as fraudulent. Lukashenko’s regime quelled the protests in a large-scale crackdown on dissent.

‘You’ll die here’ – Belarusian political prisoners recount experiences ahead of Lukashenko’s reelection

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for 30 years, is looking to reelect himself for the seventh time. In the run-up to the January 2025 presidential elections, Lukashenko has pardoned prisoners convicted of extremism, claiming that it was a “humane gesture” toward those…

The Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan

January 3, 2025 8:53pm

Ukraine Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 23 minutes

Ben Borges

Russian President Boris Yeltsin officially resigned on Dec. 31, 1999, anointing Vladimir Putin, then prime minister, as his successor.

Following the hardline stance against terrorism and the successful conduct of the Second Chechen War, Putin won the 2000 March presidential elections. He held on to power ever since.

Putin’s rise to power was marked by apartment bombings and a brutal war in Chechnya, while his first term as president saw him crushing the opposition, taking hold of nationwide TV outlets, and allowing the illicit enrichment of his allies and friends.

From Bucha to Kursk: 1,000 days of Russia’s full-scale war (Photos)

One thousand days ago, at 4 a.m. Kyiv time, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the deadliest military conflict in Europe since World War II. For 1,000 days, Ukraine has been defending against the Russian military, well-equipped and superior in numbers of weapons and people deployed.…

The Kyiv IndependentIrynka Hromotska

Putin’s second term in office saw the terrorist attacks on Russian soil and the killings of prominent opposition figures.

Putin’s third, fourth, and fifth terms as Russia’s president were marked by Russia’s war against Ukraine and the descent of his country into totalitarianism.

This photo story lists 25 major events that define Putin’s 25-year-long rule over Russia.

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1999-2000 Battle of Grozny

In the summer of 1999, Chechen militias conducted a raid into neighboring Dagestan, effectively launching the Second Chechen War. Three days later, Putin was appointed as the country's prime minister and de facto Yeltsin's successor.

Before being appointed acting president and immediately after, Putin oversaw the bombing and ground assault on Grozny, the capital of the Chechen Republic.

According to Amnesty International, 25,000 civilians were killed in Chechnya during the Second Chechen War, while the city of Grozny was said to be the most bombarded and destroyed city in Europe at that time. Russia installed a Chechen government headed first by Akhmat Kadyrov and then by his son Ramzan, who established an oppressive regional dictatorship known for torture and execution of those seen as unreliable.

2000 Kursk submarine

On Aug. 12, 2000, Russia's Kursk submarine sank in the Barents Sea, with all 118 personnel on board being killed. Putin faced criticism for failing to pay attention to the disaster initially and for the authorities' incompetence and mishandling of the botched rescue efforts.

Putin's interview with U.S. TV anchor Larry King summed up the president's response. When asked by King what happened to Kursk, Putin responded "it sank" with a smile.

2001 Putin's takeover of NTV channel

On July 20, 2000, the Russian authorities struck a deal to acquire NTV, the largest TV channel independent from the Kremlin, from billionaire Vladimir Gusinsky in exchange for dropping a criminal case against him.

In 2001, criticism of the Kremlin has been eliminated at NTV, with Putin later destroying all independent media in the country.

2002 Nord Ost

On Oct. 23, 2002, Chechen terrorists took 912 hostages at Moscow's Dubrovka theater. A total of 132 hostages and 40 terrorists were killed. Most of the hostages died due to poison gas used by Russian security forces.

2003 Khodorkovsky's arrest

On Oct. 25, 2003, Russian billionaire Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a political opponent of Putin, was arrested by Russian law enforcement officers.

The move was the beginning of a more authoritarian stage in the evolution of Putin's regime. Later Khodorkovsky, the owner of oil company Yukos, and many of his subordinates and associates were jailed.

Khodorkovsky was pardoned, released from jail and forced to move abroad in 2013.

2004 Beslan

On Sept. 1, 2004, Chechen terrorists took 1,000 hostages at a school in Beslan, North Ossetia. As a result, 334 hostages and 31 terrorists were killed.

The Kremlin used the Beslan hostage crisis as an excuse for a series of authoritarian reforms — including the cancelation of gubernatorial elections — that enabled Putin to further centralize and monopolize power.

2006 Politkovskaya's murder

Investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya, a vehement critic of Putin's regime and that of Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov, was shot dead in her building's elevator on Putin's birthday on Oct. 7, 2006.

Several Chechens have been convicted as perpetrators of the murder but the organizers have not been identified.

2006 Litvinenko's murder

Former Russian intelligence officer Alexander Litvinenko, who accused Putin of orchestrating the 1999 Moscow apartment bombings, was poisoned in the U.K. on Nov. 1, 2006 with polonium-210, a radioactive element.

The British police charged Andrei Lugovoi, a former KGB officer and current pro-Kremlin lawmaker, and businessman Dmitry Kovtun with murdering Litvinenko.

In 2016, a British court concluded that Putin and Nikolai Patrushev, the former head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), “probably” ordered Litvinenko’s assassination.

2008 Georgia war

As Putin reached his term limit, he picked his ally Dmitriy Medvedev to take over the presidency. Under Putin and Medvedev, Russia invaded Georgia on Aug. 1, 2008 following deteriorating relations with pro-Western Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

A ceasefire was concluded on Aug. 12 but Russian troops still occupy Georgia's Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions, which account for over 20% of Georgia's territory.

2011-2013 protests

In 2011-2013, tens of thousands of Russians protested against rigged parliamentary and presidential elections and Putin's increasing authoritarianism. These protests — led by Alexei Navalny, Boris Nemtsov, and Ilya Yashin and others — were the largest opposition rallies in Russia since the 1990s.

The protests didn't achieve the intended results. Nemtsov was killed in 2015 near the Kremlin, Navalny was killed in prison in 2024, and Yashin was imprisoned and later released as part of the 2024 East-West prisoner swap.

2014 annexation of Crimea

Following the EuroMaidan Revolution in Ukraine and the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych, Russian troops invaded Ukraine, effectively beginning the Russo-Ukrainian War, now in its 11th year.

Russian troops invaded Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula on Feb. 27, 2014. Later, Russia held a sham referendum and illegally annexed Crimea on March 18. It occupies the peninsula to this day.

2014 invasion of Donbas

On April 12, 2014, fighters led by former Russian intelligence officer Igor Girkin captured the city of Sloviansk in Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast.

Russian proxies seized a number of cities in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts with active support from Russian troops that shelled Ukraine from across the border.

In August 2014, Russia launched a ground invasion of Ukraine's east, forcing Kyiv to sign the first Minsk Agreements.

2014 MH17

On July 17, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down by Russian forces over Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast, with all 298 people on board being killed.

A Dutch court has established that the plane was downed by a Russian Buk surface-to-air missile. Two Russians and one Ukrainian proxy working for Russia were convicted for the murder in absentia in 2022.

2015 Nemtsov's murder

Opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was shot dead in front of the Kremlin on Feb. 27, 2015.

Nemtsov was a critic of both Putin and the Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov. A Russian court has convicted Zaur Dadayev, ex-top commander of Kadyrov’s Sever (North) police battalion, and several other Chechen fighters as part of the Nemstov murder case.

The identity of the person who ordered the assassination was not disclosed.

2015 intervention in Syria

On Sept. 30, 2015, Russia launched its military intervention in Syria to prop up the regime of dictator Bashar al-Assad. Russian troops actively conducted air raids against the opposition and terrorists from the Islamic State.

Russia was able to keep al-Assad in power until 2024 when his regime collapsed following an offensive by the country's opposition.

2018 Skripal poisoning

Former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia survived after being poisoned on March 4, 2018 in Salisbury, U.K., with Novichok, a nerve agent produced by the Russian government.

Dawn Sturgess, a British citizen, accidentally came into contact with the poison and died as a result. The British authorities identified Russian military intelligence agents using the passports of Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Bashirov as suspects in the murder case.

2020 constitutional amendments

From June 25 to July 1, 2020, Russia held a rigged vote on constitutional amendments that eliminated limits on Putin's presidential terms, effectively making him dictator for life.

According to Russian-born election expert Alexander Kireyev, the vote was the most falsified one in Russian history. Based on a mathematical analysis of official data, he estimated the number of rigged votes to be 20 million.

2020-2021 poisoning and imprisonment of Navalny

On Aug. 20, 2020, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned while traveling across Russia. After days of protest he was flown for treatment to Germany while in a coma.

German doctors, as well as several independent labs in Europe, said that he had been poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent — a chemical weapon produced by the Russian government.

A joint investigation by The Insider, Bellingcat, CNN, and Der Spiegel revealed that Navalny had been poisoned by agents of Russia’s Federal Security Service.

Despite the poisoning, Navalny decided to return to Russia on Jan. 17, 2021 and was jailed upon arrival on trumped-up charges.

2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine

On Feb. 24, 2022, Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which became the deadliest war in Europe since World War II.

Russia's war against Ukraine led to hundreds of thousands of people being killed and even more injured.

In their initial push, Russian troops failed to take Kyiv, eventually pulling out of some of the occupied territories. After Russian troops withdrew, vast war crimes were uncovered by Ukrainian and international law enforcement.

The Bucha Massacre, mass graves in liberated Kharkiv Oblast, torture chambers in Kherson, executions, and rape of the civilian population across Ukraine's north, east, and south was what Russia left behind.

2022 first mobilization in Russia since World War II

On Sept. 21, 2022, Putin launched the first mobilization of conscripts in Russia since World War II.

The decision followed Russia's rapid withdrawal from parts of Kharkiv Oblast due to a lack of manpower. The mobilization was completed on Oct. 28 but Putin's mobilization decree is still in force, allowing him to keep those already drafted on the front line in Ukraine.

2023 ICC arrest warrant for Putin

On March 17, 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian official overseeing the forced deportations of Ukrainian children to Russia.

Over 20,000 Ukrainian children were abducted by Russia from the occupied parts of Ukraine.

This warrant is the first attempt to bring Putin to justice.

2023 Prigozhin's rebellion and death

Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, launched a rebellion against Putin on June 23, 2023.

Several thousand Wagner mercenaries took over the city of Rostov-on-Don and marched northwest toward Moscow. Short of reaching Moscow, Prigozhin concluded a deal with Putin on June 24 and halted the mutiny.

Two months later — on Aug. 23 — a private jet with Prigozhin on board crashed not far from Moscow, killing him and his associates. Independent analysts point to Putin as the most likely organizer of Prigozhin’s killing.

2024 Navalny's death

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny died on Feb. 16, 2024 at the Polar Wolf penal colony in the town of Kharp, Yamal Nenets Autonomous District.

Independent experts and Western politicians say that Putin is personally responsible for Navalny's death. Some argue that Navalny was killed intentionally, while others believe he died due to harsh conditions and a lack of medical treatment.

2024 Crocus Hall terrorist attack

On March 22, 2024, a group of terrorists attacked the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Krasnogorsk, a Moscow suburb, shooting people and setting the venue on fire.

At least 145 people were killed, making it the deadliest terrorist attack in Russia since 2004. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

2024 First invasion of Russian territory since World War II (Kursk operation)

Following setbacks on the eastern front, on Aug. 6, Ukrainian troops entered Russia's Kursk Oblast — the first major invasion of Russian territory since World War II.

Ukraine still controls part of the region's territory.

January 3, 2025 4:01pm

Ukraine Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

Polish farmers launched a protest in Warsaw on Jan. 3 against agricultural imports from Ukraine and the EU policies they claim are threatening their livelihoods, the RMF24 news outlet reported.

The protest follows a series of demonstrations by Polish farmers against Ukrainian agricultural imports after the EU lifted tariffs on goods from Ukraine in 2022.

The most recent rally, which coincides with the inauguration of the Polish presidency of the Council of the EU, is held under the slogan “Five times STOP."

The five issues that sparked the protest include Ukrainian imports, the European bloc’s trade deal with the Mercosur group of South American countries, the Green Deal, the EU policies on forests and hunting, and the perceived “extinction of the Polish economy."

The protests began at 2 p.m. local time in front of the European Commission representation building on Jasna Street. Approximately two hours later, the farmers will hold a march through the city and conclude the event at 11 p.m.

“All agricultural organizations in our country will protest against the harmful policies of the European Union, against (European Commission President) Ursula von der Leyen, who is imposing policies that will force closure of our farms,” said Tomasz Obszanski, chairman of the Independent Farmers' Trade Union Solidarnosc (Solidarity).

Polish farmers and truckers launched their largest protests in late 2023 and early 2024, blocking off cargo traffic at the Polish-Ukrainian border. Most recently, on Nov. 23, 2024, farmers staged a blockade at the Shehyni border crossing with Ukraine, which lasted just over a day and restricted truck traffic.

Warsaw has already implemented import bans on certain Ukrainian products, such as grain, citing negative impacts on Polish agriculture.

The Polish government has expressed support for farmers’ concerns, highlighting challenges posed by the EU’s trade policies while also seeking to maintain solidarity with Ukraine during the ongoing war.

Poland prepared to increase energy exports to Ukraine in place of Slovakia, Bloomberg reports

Poland is ready to increase domestic electricity production if Slovakia halts the delivery of backup power supplies to Ukraine, an unnamed Polish official told Bloomberg on Dec. 29.

The Kyiv IndependentVolodymyr Ivanyshyn

January 1, 2025 4:38am

Russia Protests Photos

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ben Borges

The United States has sanctioned two entities accused of advancing Iranian and Russian disinformation campaigns aimed at influencing American voters before this year’s election, according to the Treasury Department.

Treasury officials announced on Dec. 31 that these groups sought to deepen divisions among Americans ahead of November’s vote. U.S. intelligence agencies have identified both governments as responsible for spreading disinformation, including fake news stories, videos, and social media posts, to manipulate voters and erode confidence in U.S. elections.

“The governments of Iran and Russia have targeted our election processes and institutions and sought to divide the American people through targeted disinformation campaigns,” said Bradley T. Smith, Treasury’s acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.

Authorities identified the Moscow-based Center for Geopolitical Expertise as a key player in creating, funding, and distributing disinformation about American candidates, including AI-generated deepfake videos. The sanctions also target the center’s director, who allegedly collaborated with Russian military intelligence agents responsible for cyberattacks and sabotage against Western nations.

The center reportedly used artificial intelligence to generate fake videos and developed numerous fake news websites designed to appear legitimate. It also paid U.S. companies to host pro-Russian content.

The Iranian group, the Cognitive Design Production Center, is linked to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which the U.S. designates as a foreign terrorist organization. Officials claim the center has been inciting political tensions in the U.S. since at least 2023, including encouraging protests over Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.

U.S. intelligence agencies have accused Iran of hacking into the accounts of high-profile current and former U.S. officials, including senior figures from Donald Trump’s campaign.

Ahead of the election, intelligence agencies also identified efforts by Russia, Iran, and China to undermine trust in U.S. democracy.

EU to impose first sanctions on Russian intelligence over disinformation campaigns, Bloomberg reports

The proposed measures target more than a dozen individuals and three entities, including Russian intelligence officers and media entrepreneurs, according to Bloomberg. The sanctions aim to counter destabilizing operations globally.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova