The Kyiv Independent is a Ukrainian English-language digital news outlet founded in November 2021 after the entire editorial team of the Kyiv Post resigned following the owner's decision to shut the newsroom. It became the leading English-language source on the Russia-Ukraine war after the 2022 invasion.Source: Kyiv Independent

Are Kyiv Independent casualty figures reliable?

The Kyiv Independent sources its Russian casualty figures directly from the Ukrainian General Staff and Unmanned Systems Forces, reporting 1,278,430 cumulative Russian casualties as of 14 March 2026. The figures are Ukrainian official estimates and cannot be independently verified, so they should be read as Kyiv's own accounting rather than neutral third-party data.Source: Ukrainian General Staff via Kyiv Independent

What did the Kyiv Independent report about Ukraine and Saudi Arabia?

The Kyiv Independent reported that, alongside a signed deal between a Saudi arms company and Ukraine for interceptor missiles, a separate 'huge deal' was under negotiation between Saudi Arabia and Ukraine. No further details were disclosed at the time of reporting.Source: Kyiv Independent

Background

The Kyiv Independent is a Ukraine-based English-language digital outlet, founded in November 2021 by journalists who resigned en masse from the Kyiv Post after its owner moved to curb the newsroom's independence. It became the dominant English-language source on the war after Russia's February 2022 invasion, and by 2025 reached close to 3 million monthly readers and over 27,000 paying members.

It remains a primary conduit for Ukrainian military claims reaching Western audiences, having reported the Ukrainian General Staff's estimate of 1,278,430 cumulative Russian casualties as of 14 March 2026 and a 'huge deal' under negotiation between Saudi Arabia and Ukraine for interceptor missiles, alongside a signed contract between a Saudi arms firm and Kyiv.

Unlike outlets reliant on a single proprietor, the Kyiv Independent has no single owner or external financier: in 2024, some 70% of its revenue came from reader memberships and donations, with the remainder from advertising, syndication, book publishing, and grants tied to specific editorial projects; journalists hold part-ownership. That reader-funded model does not remove scrutiny of its battlefield claims, which originate from Ukrainian official sources and remain unverifiable by third parties, making source literacy essential when citing its figures.

More questions

How does the Kyiv Independent compare to the Kyiv Post?

The Kyiv Independent was founded by journalists who Left the Kyiv Post en masse in 2021 after its owner closed the editorial team. Both are English-language outlets covering Ukraine, but the Independent operates with editorial independence and foundation backing, while the Kyiv Post relaunched under new ownership.

Who funds the Kyiv Independent?

The Kyiv Independent has no single owner or external financier. In 2024, about 70% of its revenue came from reader memberships and donations, with the rest from advertising, syndication, book publishing, and grants tied to specific editorial projects. Journalists hold part-ownership in the outlet.Source: Kyiv Independent About page

How many readers does the Kyiv Independent have?

The Kyiv Independent reached close to 3 million monthly readers in 2025, up from 13,000 in January 2022, with over 27,000 paying members supporting it directly.Source: Kyiv Independent About page