Kyiv Independent

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, after the owner attempted to take the newsroom under control and end its critical coverage of Ukrainian authorities. Instead of giving up, the dismissed team founded a new media outlet to carry on the torch and be a truly independent voice of Ukraine. Jnomics, an international media consultancy with Ukrainian roots, co-founded the publication, bringing their expertise in media management.

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.

Past and Current Activities

Since its inception, The Kyiv Independent has rapidly evolved into a dynamic organization producing stories, video reports, podcasts, newsletters, documentaries, and more. In March 2023, one year after the start of the full-scale invasion, a separate unit was formed within the team to investigate Russian war crimes.

Achievements

Almost 2 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 nearly 2 million in 2025.

Over 20,000 news items in our continuously updated news feed, available seven days a week.

More than 100 field reports. Since the start of the war, we’ve published over 100 field reports, including dozens of stories from the front lines, bringing on-the-ground coverage from Avdiivka, Bakhmut, Chasiv Yar, and Vovchansk.

14 investigations, including an award-winning investigation into alleged misconduct in Ukraine’s International Legion and leaked documents revealing Russia’s plan to take over Belarus by 2030.

8 newsletters. The Kyiv Independent currently has eight active newsletters with over 125,000 subscribers. They cover the latest events in Ukraine, frontline dispatches, business news, and more.

More than 17,000 members. We have built a vibrant community of over 17,000 members. Nearly 50,000 people have supported The Kyiv Independent financially since its launch.

We have won 19 awards for our journalism and one award for audience growth.

We grew our team from 18 to over 70 people. A larger team allows us to increase the impact and reach of our journalism.

8 documentaries. Our War Crimes Investigations Unit has produced eight investigative documentaries exposing Russia’s systemic atrocities in Ukraine, covering topics such as the abduction of Ukrainian children, the torture of POWs, the mass killing of civilians, sexual violence by Russian forces, cultural theft, the destruction of critical infrastructure, and life under occupation.

KI’s YouTube channel. We produce video content, including reports from the front lines, the news show Ukraine This Week, exclusive interviews, and more. As of 2025, our videos have reached almost 5 million views.

The Kyiv Independent has received 20 awards, including the IRE Award, the European Press Prize Special Award, the Fleischaker/Greene Award, the Free Media Pioneer Award, the Charlemagne Prize Special Award, and inclusion in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list.

The Kyiv Independent is now read by millions of people each month. Yet only one in 10,000 readers makes a financial contribution.

We need your support to keep going.

Your support means that, as we are facing 2025 and the uncertainties it will bring, we will be stronger, more resilient, and will be able to continue bringing you reliable journalism from Ukraine, whatever may come.

Please consider donating to the Kyiv Independent.