RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
A soldier who goes by the call sign Kiwi was still a teenager in Wellington, New Zealand, when he saw Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on the news in February 2022. As the war dragged on, he learned that he could enlist and receive training to fight alongside the forces defending Ukraine.
Ukrainian workers are conducting emergency repairs to a historic cathedral, part of a UNESCO-protected monastery, which was damaged in an overnight attack on June 15. While priceless items were moved to safety, experts warn that soot and moisture continue to threaten other historic artifacts.
Ukrainian soldiers are patrolling a key highway leading to Kostyantynivka, an eastern Ukrainian city not far from Pokrovsk. Newly deployed counter-drone patrols are shooting down Russian drones targeting vehicles on a road that has become critical for military logistics.
Russian forces are trying to advance on Kostyantynivka from several directions and the Kremlin wants to cut off Ukrainian forces' access to supply routes, which make this city a prime target. Locals face constant shelling and disruptions to the water and electricity supply, some clearly rattled.
Russian drone strikes on Kyiv killed at least three people, including a five-year-old child, and wounded 10 others in an overnight attack on March 22. Drone strikes also caused fires in the Sumy and Chernihiv regions.
Three weeks after Ukrainian troops moved Russia's Kursk region, locals shared their anger over the unexpected turn that brought the war to their homes. On a visit to the town of Sudzha, RFE/RL journalists spoke to residents who are divided on whether to remain in a home region under foreign control.
Ukrainian forces maintain they're holding on in the eastern Ukrainian city of Toretsk despite Russian claims they occupy an adjoining area. Toretsk, situated just north of the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk, has been increasingly targeted in recent weeks by Russian forces.
