Veronika Melkozerova

Editor, NV English

Veronika is a journalist based in Kyiv. She contributed to multiple international publications, including NBC News, Politico, Vice, OCCRP, US News & World Report. She worked at Kyiv Post from June 2015-December 2018. In 2021, Veronika won the top Ukrainian journalism contest Chest profesii, getting a crystal stela in the nomination for best breaking news reporting. Member of NV.UA team till December 2022.


Up in flames /
Ammunition dump destroyed in the occupied city of Tokmak - video

A Russian ammunition warehouse in the occupied city of Tokmak, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, was destroyed by Ukrainian forces, Odesa regional military administration spokesperson Serhii Bratchuk reported via Telegram messenger on Aug. 24.
24 August 2022, 01:33 PM 1639
Nation

Facing reality /
Russian Defense Minister Shoigu admits Russia’s offensive pace has slowed

Six months after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had to officially admit the failure of "Putin's blitzkrieg,” during a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit on Aug. 24.
24 August 2022, 01:08 PM 2132
Nation

Nearly spent /
Russian military capabilities in decline after six months of war, UK intelligence says

Moscow’s military, economic, and diplomatic capacity stands significantly diminished after six months of war in Ukraine, having failed to achieve most of their war aims, the UK’s Defense Ministry said in a daily military intelligence assessment on Twitter on Aug. 24.
24 August 2022, 01:00 PM 2013
Nation

Constant assault /
Zaporizhzhia city hall shares details of recent Russian missile strike

Civil infrastructure was damaged as a result of a Russian missile attack on the city of Zaporizhzhia, Zaporizhzhia city council secretary Anatoly Kurtev said on his Telegram channel on Aug. 24.
24 August 2022, 12:47 PM 330
Nation

Sun-kissed /
Ammunition depot on fire near Belgorod

An ammunition depot caught fire in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast reportedly due to “hot weather,” Russian regional governor Vyacheslav Gudkov said in a Telegram post on Aug. 23.
24 August 2022, 12:46 PM 1056
Nation

Protecting the sky /
Ukraine’s Air Force shot down enemy Ka-52 helicopter

The Ukrainian Air Force shot down a Russian Ka-52 helicopter at around 1:00 a.m. over the country’s eastern skies, Air Force Command reported on Telegram on Aug. 24.
24 August 2022, 12:39 PM 1111
Nation

Battle for Donbas /
Russian advances completely halted by Ukrainian defense in Donbas

Invading Russian forces continue to conduct active actions on the Bakhmut and Avdiivka axes in Donetsk Oblast, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on Facebook on Aug 24.
24 August 2022, 12:30 PM 787
Nation

Consequences of inaction /
Tepid global response to 2014 annexation of Crimea enabled Russia’s full-scale invasion, Zelenskyy says

Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine because the international community didn’t muster a harsh enough response to the annexation of Crimea in 2014, President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy said in his closing remarks at the Crimea Platform summit on Aug. 23.
24 August 2022, 11:56 AM 350
Nation

Energy of independence: Ukraine to recharge Europe

August 2022 marks two historically significant dates for Ukraine.
24 August 2022, 11:35 AM 477
Opinion

Activist in captivity /
Moscow confirms detention of Ukrainian activist Butkevych

Russia’s Defense Ministry has confirmed that Ukrainian human rights activist, co-founder of Hromadske Radio, and military service member Maksym Butkevych is in custody, Russian human rights lawyer Pavel Chikov said in a Telegram post on Aug. 23.
24 August 2022, 11:02 AM 339
Nation

Independence Day “greeting” /
Another Russian attack on Kharkiv

Russian artillery has delivered another strike on Kharkiv’s Novobavarskyi District, city Mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a Telegram post on Aug. 24.
24 August 2022, 10:53 AM 419
Nation

Alert sounds /
In response to Russian threats, Ukraine introduces chemical and radiation alert sirens

Local governments across Ukraine are introducing a set of new alert sirens due to repeated threats from Russia of nuclear or chemical attack, the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD), a Ukrainian government agency, said in a Telegram post on Aug. 21.
22 August 2022, 02:14 AM 2437
Nation

Putin’s new myth. What is behind car bombing of daughter of ‘Russian World’ ideologue Dugin

Neither Alexander Dugin himself nor even more so his daughter, played any role in the war.
21 August 2022, 10:16 PM 3455
Opinion

Nuclear threat /
Zaporizhzhya NPP at risk of violating radiation, fire safety standards, says Energoatom

The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is at risk of violating radiation and fire safety standards due to Russian shelling, Ukrainian nuclear operator Energoatom reported on Telegram messenger on Aug 21.
21 August 2022, 09:19 PM 1672
Nation

High Profile Case /
Regional SBU head found dead in Kirovohrad Oblast

Kirovohrad Oblast SBU head Oleksandr Nakonechnyi was found dead in provincial capital Kropyvnytskyi, Ukrainian news agency Interfax-Ukraine reported on Aug. 21.
21 August 2022, 08:29 PM 2897
Nation

Provocations threat /
Kharkiv officials explain introduction of longer curfew in oblast

A long curfew is being introduced in Kharkiv Oblast due to the threat of increased provocations by the Russian military in the coming days, Kharkiv regional military administration said in comments to the Ukrainian news agency Interfax-Ukraine on Aug 21.
21 August 2022, 07:25 PM 1113
Nation

Stay at home order /
Employees in government district advised to work from home next week

Employees of institutions located in the government district of Kyiv are recommended to stay at home and work remotely on Aug. 22-26, the Ukrainian news website Ukrainska Pravda (UP) reported on Aug 21.
21 August 2022, 06:32 PM 934
Nation

Public support /
Latvia raises over EUR 500,000 in four days to buy Bayraktar drone for Ukraine

The public in Latvia in just four days raised over EUR 500,000 to buy a Turkish-made Bayraktar drone for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Latvian LSM portal reported on Aug. 20.
21 August 2022, 05:48 PM 1146
Nation

Big picture takeouts from Russia’s war on Ukraine

More than six months into the all-out war now being waged by Russia against Ukraine and while we might not be able to predict the endgame I think we can draw some broad conclusions
21 August 2022, 11:05 AM 2299
Opinion

What is happening on the hottest spots of the war front?

Battlefields of Ukraine are actually ‘dormant’ for about a month now — in the sense of (contrary to quite a few claims) neither side managing any major advances — but, let’s check what’s going on and where, and if there are any significant ‘news’.
20 August 2022, 01:01 PM 1560
Opinion