We covered Syrskyi's dismissal and growing cracks inside Russia — Here's what you helped us do this week

Dear Kyiv Independent community members,

Thank you for your continued support. This week, we were also delighted to meet members of our community in Washington, D.C., where our assistant opinion editor Anna Fratsyvir hosted an informal gathering. It was a wonderful opportunity to talk about the Kyiv Independent's work, discuss the latest developments in Ukraine, answer members' questions, and connect with the people whose support makes our journalism possible. The photo above was taken during the event, with Anna the first one from the right. Thank you to everyone who joined us — we look forward to seeing more of you at future community meetups!

We're grateful to have our members with us. We'd also like to give a warm welcome and thanks to the 371 new members who joined this week. We wouldn't be here without you.

Here's what you helped us do at the Kyiv Independent this week:

• One of our most-read stories this week was about Zelensky's decision to fire Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, responding to the protesters’ demands. Francis Farrell analyzed why many Ukrainians had lost confidence in Syrskyi. We also profiled his successor, Mykhailo Drapatyi, and asked Ukrainian soldiers what they think of their new army chief. 

• We also hit the streets of Kyiv to hear how Ukrainians see the shakeup, what they expect from Drapatyi, and whether they think Mykhailo Fedorov should be reinstated as defense minister. You can watch what they had to say here.

• We also looked at how Russia reacted to the appointment of Ukraine's new commander-in-chief. Kateryna Hodunova’s story looks at the response from Russian military bloggers and pro-war commentators, many of whom described Drapatyi as a more capable and dangerous opponent than his predecessor.

• We reported on the continuing standoff between President Volodymyr Zelensky and former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Tim Zadorozhnyy and Kateryna Denisova reported that neither side appears willing to compromise, raising questions about the future of Ukraine's military leadership. Meanwhile, rallies against Fedorov’s dismissal continued.

• We revealed new details about a renewed diplomatic effort to end the war. In our exclusive, Tim Zadorozhnyy reported that Ukraine and the U.S. are coordinating a fresh set of peace proposals for Moscow, with officials hoping Russia may now be more willing to accept at least a partial ceasefire in the air as Ukraine's expanding long-range strike campaign changes the calculus.

• We reported on the growing cracks forming inside Russia. Karol Luczka examined why some nationalist bloggers and soldiers are turning their frustration toward the Kremlin, and how battlefield setbacks and domestic problems have fueled criticism of Vladimir Putin from pro-war groups. Meanwhile, Tania Myronyshena explored why one of Russia's poorest regions, Buratia, has suffered some of the war's highest casualty rates and why analysts believe the Kremlin may resort to even harsher measures as battlefield losses mount and economic pressures deepen.

• We sat down for an exclusive interview with NATO's top military officer. Martin Fornusek spoke with Giuseppe Cavo Dragone about Ukraine's battlefield momentum, the future of NATO's support for Kyiv, the alliance's efforts to integrate Ukrainian innovations into its own defense planning, and why he believes NATO is prepared to make any future Russian aggression "cost far more than it's worth." You can watch the full interview here.

• We took a closer look at the hidden side of Ukraine's Crimea campaign. Yuliia Taradiuk reported on how the peninsula's underground resistance network is feeding targets and intelligence to Ukraine's military as the pressure on occupied Crimea grows.

• We also kept a close eye on the recent Ukrainian government reshuffle and on Ukraine's rule of law. Oleg Sukhov broke down who Zelensky has appointed as Ukraine's new police and security chiefs, and the accusations that follow them. 

• We covered the anniversary of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, which Russians and their associates shot down over eastern Ukraine 12 years ago. In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, Anna Belokur covers how the international investigation held Russia responsible, and interviews photojournalist Evgeniy Maloletka, the Dutch ambassador to Ukraine, and a representative of the MH17 memorial foundation. You can watch it here.

Finally, on a positive note, we're proud to share the work of the Ptahy Project, a Ukrainian charity that procures medical supplies to the Ukrainian military, which we featured in the 12th edition of our "How to Help Ukraine" newsletter. Thanks to you, we could raise almost $5,000, and the collected funds will help cover more than 50 individual first aid kits — life-saving supplies that are continuously needed. If you wish to contribute, you can find the details to make a bank transfer to Ptahy on their website.

And we are also sharing a reminder that we are coming to the U.K. to host an evening of live storytelling, photography, and conversation at Kings Place in central London on October 2. If you wish to join, you can find more information and buy tickets here. Hope to see you there! 

Thank you for standing by our side as we bring independent, locally sourced news from Ukraine to the world.