Here's what you helped us achieve in the last week

Dear Kyiv Independent community members,

Pictured above reporter Asami Terajima (right) stands with members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces during a field trip to the front line last week.

We'd also like to welcome our 64 new members this week. Thank you for continuing to stand with us. Your support allows us to report from the front lines and to tell stories that would otherwise go untold. 

Here are some highlights from the Kyiv Independent over the last week:

• Our most popular story this week was Francis Farrell's piece about the current state of the counteroffensive, which after limited gains has entered a new phase, as Ukraine has committed more forces and changed tactics to a more attrition-focused approach.

• We reported from Donetsk Oblast, near front line in the Kreminna area. Asami Terajima's story takes a look at the Ukrainian troops, tasked with holding on to their positions as long as possible, and the endless Russian assaults testing the defensives on the northeastern front.

• We wrote about the toll the war has taken on Ukrainian's mental health. Daria Shulzhenko's piece explains how mental health in Ukraine has been affected since the start of the full-scale invasion, with experts estimating that 40-50% of the Ukrainian population would need a form of psychological support.

• We also reported on the transfer of Ukrainian POWs from Russia to Hungary. In early June, 11 Ukrainian soldiers were moved between the two countries, with both Moscow and Budapest denying direct involvement. Ukraine was not informed of the transfer of POWs, making it an unprecedented move, and deteriorating the diplomatic relations between Kyiv and Budapest.

• This week, Belarus Weekly includes the report that two Belarusian helicopters violated Polish airspace on Aug. 1, crossing the border at a very low altitude, which makes it difficult for radar systems to detect.

• Episode 19 of "This Week in Ukraine" looks at Ukraine's national decommunization policy. Host Anastasiia Lapatina sits down with culture reporter Kate Tsurkan to discuss Ukraine's struggle to dump Soviet legacy, with your questions starting at 21:30.

• We bought new equipment to better facilitate hybrid work! Our office now has a plasma television and a better microphone – we plan to use it for the first time at Monday's general meeting.

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