Year five begins. Truth needs allies.

They Kyiv Independent

Editor-in-Chief Olga Rudenko

Dear reader, This is Olga Rudenko, editor-in-chief of the Kyiv Independent. Feb. 24 is a day of change for every Ukrainian. It’s the day when all of us in Ukraine passed through a singular transformation that changed us profoundly.

Everyone in Ukraine has a story that is special to them and that they have retold many times: It’s a story of where they were on the morning of Feb. 24, 2022. I’ve heard many variations of this story. A very common one is jumping out of bed from the sound of explosions. Others were woken up by panicky phone calls from their family or friends. I never tire of listening to these retellings. I’ve heard my friends’ stories many times, and have shared mine over and over. I think we do it because we are still catching up with how much that day changed us. It was a singular experience, and it has, in a way, forever made us different. There are people who have been woken by war, and people who have not.

I didn’t have to wake up. We at the Kyiv Independent worked until about 3 a.m., and by the time I got home, it was clear the invasion was about to start. Even with all the signs and preparation, it still felt like the most unbelievable thing was about to happen. I had never before heard a munition exploding in the sky. I vividly remember standing in the middle of my small apartment in Kyiv, frozen in place, staring at the windows and the dark sky beyond them. The shock and disbelief were paralyzing. Then, a sad, inevitable thought: “This is it, this is the end.” It wasn’t, but unfortunately, I am now well-versed in the sound of explosions. Like anyone else, I can tell when a ballistic missile is shot down over Kyiv, and how close the air defense guns chasing the drones are each night. This is knowledge I’d prefer to never have acquired. That moment four years ago, survival felt unlikely. Even more unlikely would be an idea that this was the beginning of an all-out war that would last for years. And yet, I’m proud of one thing that happened that morning four years ago. When nearly every media outlet in the world reported that Russia started a “special military operation” in Ukraine, the headline on the Kyiv Independent’s homepage read “war.” I typed it up, not without hesitation, minutes after shuddering from explosions. It is still there, in our archive, reminding us how important it is to call things what they are — even if no one else is. On that day, and every day since, the war on the truth went hand in hand with the war for our land. Russia has spread lies and disinformation with as much vigor as it has been sending missiles at Ukraine. Often, the purpose isn’t to change the audience’s views, but to sow confusion and make it seem like the truth is impossible to know. The end goal isn’t to bring people to your side — it’s to make them look away. We have been doing exactly the opposite. Every day of these four years, we at the Kyiv Independent have been working to bring clarity and name things for what they are. It started with that little word, “war.” It continued in many forms: countless news updates, front-line dispatches, and investigations uncovering what Russia would prefer to hide. Four years later, we are proud and grateful to still work from a free Kyiv, doing all we can to defend and spread the truth of this war. We can only continue to do it because we are not alone. Our readers stand with us and have our back, quite literally. Readers provide the core of our funding, allowing us to stay independent, free from any influences, and therefore — truthful. If you, too, want to help amplify the truth in the world of so many loud lies, you can support the Kyiv Independent today by becoming a member of our community. It’s simple, secure, and starts at just $5 a month. We’d be proud to count you among our allies.