Kyiv (Kiev) 

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Latest news on Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, covering Russian attacks, air defence, reconstruction, Mayor Klitschko, Maidan and daily life in the city.

Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and largest city of Ukraine, set on the Dnieper river in the country's north. Home to around three million people, it is one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe and the political, cultural and economic heart of the nation. The city is led by Mayor Vitali Klitschko, the former world heavyweight boxing champion who has headed Kyiv since 2014.

Russia's full-scale invasion, launched in February 2022, has shaped daily life in the capital ever since. Kyiv has faced repeated waves of missile and drone strikes, testing its air defences and frequently sending residents into metro stations and shelters. Attacks on energy infrastructure have caused blackouts and disrupted heating and water, particularly during winter. Ukraine's wider reconstruction needs have been estimated at well over 500 billion US dollars, and recovery efforts remain a central theme, including the recurring Ukraine Recovery Conference.

Despite the pressures of war, Kyiv remains a living, working city with a strong sense of resilience. Cultural institutions, businesses and the metro continue to operate around air-raid alerts, and Independence Square, known as Maidan Nezalezhnosti, has become a focal point for remembering fallen soldiers. The feed follows these human stories alongside the city's enduring landmarks, from the golden domes of St Sophia Cathedral and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra to the Golden Gate, the towering Mother Ukraine statue, the boulevard of Khreshchatyk and the artists' lane of Andriivskyi Descent.

Kyiv's history stretches back more than a millennium. As the centre of Kyivan Rus, the first major East Slavic state, it earned the title 'Mother of Rus Cities' and reached a golden age under Yaroslav the Wise in the 11th century. The city endured Mongol destruction in 1240, centuries of foreign rule and heavy damage in the Second World War. It became the capital of independent Ukraine in 1991, and Maidan later hosted two defining uprisings: the 2004 Orange Revolution and the 2013 to 2014 Revolution of Dignity. St Sophia Cathedral and the Pechersk Lavra are recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

From breaking developments across Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast to politics, security, reconstruction and culture, there is always more to follow. Our NewsNow feed brings you comprehensive, constantly updated coverage of Kyiv from a wide range of reliable sources, so you can stay informed about the capital's defence, recovery and resilient daily life as the story unfolds.