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**The Kyiv Independent is raising $63,500 for an electronic prosthetic knee for George Ivanchenko**, a 25-year-old Ukrainian photojournalist who lost his leg in a targeted Russian drone attack while reporting on the front line.

George became a freelance photographer shortly after the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He has since collaborated with the Associated Press, European Pressphoto Agency, the Kyiv Independent, Libération, Reporters, and other publications.

Over the past year, as the use of first-person-view (FPV) drones has expanded in Russia’s war against Ukraine, journalists reporting from the front lines have increasingly been targeted in Russian precision strikes. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russian forces have killed at least [21 media workers](https://nuju.org.ua/list-of-journalists-killed-since-start-of-russia-s-full-scale-aggression-update-2/) on assignment – three of them in 2025.

On Oct. 3, 2025, while reporting in Donetsk Oblast, George and his colleague, French journalist Antoni Lallican, were struck by a Russian FPV drone. Antoni was killed instantly. George survived but sustained severe injuries, and doctors were forced to amputate his leg.

George underwent treatment in the cities of Dnipro and Kharkiv. In early 2026, he was admitted to [**Superhumans**](https://superhumans.com/en/), a modern Ukrainian military trauma center in Lviv that specializes in prosthetics, reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation, and psychological support for adults and children affected by war.

In six weeks at the center, George has learned to walk with a prosthesis with a mechanical knee joint, completed dozens of rehabilitation sessions, and even tried archery, adaptive skiing, and other activities offered by the center.

His doctors say he progressed through rehabilitation remarkably quickly. However, to live an active life and go back to field photography – something he wants the most – George needs a prosthesis with electronic components that provide much higher level of functionality. 

All the electronic prosthetic modules George will need to return to a normal life cost around **$80,000**. Some of these components will be generously provided by the Superhumans Center. The center will also cover George’s medical treatment, prosthetic fitting, and rehabilitation for as long as necessary.

The Kyiv Independent is raising funds for the most expensive and most critical component of George’s prosthetic: the [**Genium X4 electronic knee module**](https://www.ottobock.com/en-gb/product/3B5-4-61135).

This advanced knee is water-resistant, adapts to the wearer’s gait in real time, helps prevent falls, and dramatically expands the user’s mobility and independence. It will help George not only to walk confidently again, but to return to the demanding work of reporting from the front line.

**Support George’s recovery and help him return to the profession he risked his life for. Your contribution will bring him one step closer to reporting again.**


For recovery of injured photojournalist George Ivanchenko

The Kyiv Independent is an award-winning English-language media outlet covering Ukraine and Eastern Europe.

The Kyiv Independent is **Ukraine’s fastest-growing English-language media outlet**, established in November 2021, just three months before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Kyiv Independent was born out of a **fight for freedom of speech**. It was co-founded by a group of journalists who were fired from the Kyiv Post, then a prominent newspaper, as the owner attempted to take the newsroom under control and end its critical coverage of Ukrainian authorities.

Just three months after the Kyiv Independent was launched, Russia invaded Ukraine. **Our team stayed in Ukraine and kept on reporting on what was now a war against their country.**

The team’s resilience and **uncompromising reporting quickly made the Kyiv Independent a key source of news** from Ukraine for millions of people around the world.

**We vowed to serve the principles of honest journalism even during an ongoing war**. We have published investigations, including into misconduct within the Ukrainian military. It has solidified our readers’ trust in us as an independent news source. The Kyiv Independent has won multiple awards for its work.

We had to grow fast. Today, **the Kyiv Independent is a dynamic organization** producing stories, video reports, newsletters, documentaries, and more. In March 2023, we formed a separate unit within the team to investigate Russian war crimes. The team has **published nine documentaries so far, uncovered multiple war crimes, and seven international awards** for its work. 

**Unlike many news organizations, the Kyiv Independent has no single owner** or external source of financing. Instead, the majority of our funding comes directly from our readers — most of whom give just $5 a month. In 2024, 70% of our revenue was from membership and donations. 

Thanks to the support of our readers, the Kyiv Independent doesn’t need to depend on a wealthy owner — and doesn’t have a paywall. Our journalism is free and accessible to everyone, regardless of ability to pay, because we believe that everyone should have access to accurate and reliable information. 

**Our Mission**

**Serve as the bridge between Ukraine and the world**, delivering reliable news, context, and on-the-ground reporting.

**Our Values**

The Kyiv Independent **serves its readers and community**, and nobody else.

The Kyiv Independent **won’t be dependent on a rich owner or an oligarch.** Support from our readers, donors, and commercial activities fund the publication.

The newsroom **decides and executes the publication’s editorial policy in the community’s best interests.** Attempts to influence it from outside will not be tolerated.

The Kyiv Independent **will always be at least partly owned by its journalists**.

The Kyiv Independent **strives to maintain financial sustainability to preserve its independence.**

**Our Achievements**

1. **We reach almost 3 million monthly readers in 2025.**  Millions of people now read the Kyiv Independent every month. Our monthly website audience grew from 13,000 readers in January 2022 to close to 3 million monthly readers in 2025.
2. **Over 30,000 stories have been published** since launching the Kyiv Independent, including daily news updates, war coverage, business, culture, and opinions.
3. **We have published more than 150 field reports**, including dozens of stories from the front lines, bringing you on-the-ground coverage from places like Avdiivka, Bakhmut, Chasiv Yar, and Vovchansk.
4. **We have conducted 30 investigations**, including an award-winning investigation into alleged misconduct in Ukraine’s International Legion and leaked documents showing Russia’s plan to take over Belarus by 2030.
5. **The Kyiv Independent currently has seven active newsletters with over 230,000 subscribers**. They cover the latest events in Ukraine, front-line dispatches, business news, and much more.
6. **We built a vibrant, global community of more than 20,000 members**.  Since its launch, more than 50,000 people have financially supported the Kyiv Independent.
7. **We have won 20 awards** for our journalism and one award for our audience growth.
8. **We grew our team from 18 to 70+ people**.  A bigger team allows us to increase the impact and reach of our journalism.
9. **Our War Crimes Investigations Unit has produced nine investigative documentaries** about Russia’s systemic atrocities in Ukraine, including the deportation of children and torture of POWs.
10. **KI’s YouTube channel** features our video content, including reports from the front lines, a show about the latest news “Ukraine This Week,” exclusive interviews, and much more. **So far in 2025, we have reached over 14 million views and 270,000 subscribers**.

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