Name: How the Kyiv Independent used global sympathy to generate membership revenue
Uploaded: 2025-12-17T00:00:00.000Z
Channel: Simon Owens
Description: The Kyiv Independent launched in 2021, and its timing was in some ways fortuitous, since it was only a few months later that Russia launched a full-scale invasion in Ukraine.

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About this video

The Kyiv Independent launched in 2021, and its timing was in some ways fortuitous, since it was only a few months later that Russia launched a full-scale invasion in Ukraine.

Suddenly, the entire world was paying attention to the country, and the Kyiv Independent happened to be the most authoritative English-language outlet to be reporting on the ground.

This attention not only resulted in a massive amount of traffic, but also a surge in membership donations as sympathetic Westerners sought out ways to support Ukraine’s cause.

In a recent interview, Chief Operating Officer Zakhar Protsiuk discussed the early days of getting the Kyiv Independent off the ground, its shift from one-time donations to recurring memberships, and why the outlet has begun producing longform documentaries.