My 5 Years as Kyiv Post CEO: The People Behind Ukraine’s Global Voice

As I approach my fifth anniversary as CEO of Kyiv Post on Nov. 11, I can’t help but think back to the evening in November 2021 when Adnan Kivan handed me the future of this legendary institution. He made sure to give me free rein and a simple mandate – that reflected his vision: “Make it bigger and better! Expand its scope and reach; make it Ukraine’s veritable global voice!”JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. He wanted the revamped Kyiv Post to take advantage of the new possibilities of digital, social media, and video, and to introduce a Ukrainian edition. Late Kyiv Post owner Adnan Kivan (left) and Kyiv Post CEO Luc Chénier (right) (Photo via Luc Chénier) Five years later, those words still guide me. But when I look at what Kyiv Post has become, I see the people who took that challenge with me. I may be CEO, but these five years belong to all of us. When we relaunched in late 2021, we had decades of pioneering journalism behind us and high expectations to meet. Rebuilding was always going to be hard (and not everyone truly understood why the Kyiv Post had been revamped), but we couldn’t have known how quickly our plans would collide with Ukraine’s fight for basic survival. Other Topics of Interest Meloni Urges Single EU Voice in Ukraine Talks, Warns of ‘Irrelevance’ Italy’s prime minister demands a single EU negotiator with a clear mandate, as European Council chief António Costa agrees to discuss the issue. Russia’s full-scale invasion, just weeks after the rebranded Kyiv Post appeared, changed everything overnight. Running a news organization was no longer just about colleagues in bomb shelters, checking on families, or keeping servers online. The people who were supposed to explain a war to the world were living through it. Kyiv Post staff on duty. (Photo via Kyiv Post) Behind our masthead are real people with families and anxieties of their own. They come to work every day because they believe this work matters and because they’re professionals. Learning to manage as a wartime CEO taught me one immediate lesson: You’re only as good as the people beside you. Bringing Bohdan Nahaylo on as chief editor was one of my most consequential decisions. He had a classical British and American journalism tradition, international UN experience in many countries, deep historical perspective, and an impressive global network – our rebuilding effort got direction and authority instantly. Without Bohdan’s leadership and partnership, I don’t know if I would be writing this today. Kyiv Post Chief Editor Bohdan Nahaylo in his Kyiv Post office. (Photo by Kyiv Post) Around him, we gradually built a vibrant, resilient newsroom. Our journalists, editors, translators, and contributors earned reader trust the hard way: fact-checking, verifying official narratives, authoritative analysis, and providing context in a sea of propaganda (and, let’s face it, different types of disinformation). People behind the scenes made that frontline reporting possible. Dmytro Vakuliuk, our head of digital, kept our voice alive through endless cyberattacks while rebuilding our digital infrastructure through global partnerships. Tanya Pilipenko took our social media reach to over 70 million monthly views – giving Ukraine’s story global distribution and impact never seen before. Dasha Sytnyk gave new energy to our video department. She joined our production crew and regular analysts Jason Jay Smart and US Navy SEAL Squadron Leader Chuck Pfarrer and others to build a dynamic YouTube presence, which won a Silver Creator Award. Our bold pioneering series of 30 podcast videos shown between 2025 and 2026 – “Off the Record” – was the first time that an acting diplomat, Canada’s Ambassador to Ukraine, Natalka Cmok, hosted interviews with other ambassadors and distinguished figures on current issues, bringing fresh, rich perspectives. Canada’s Ambassador Natalka Cmok (left) with Poland’s Ambassador Piotr Łukasiewicz (right) recording a Kyiv Post “Off the Record” video podcast. (Photo by Kyiv Post) Galyna Bondarchuk – a 15-year veteran of Kyiv Post – kept our financial and legal operations on solid ground through years of constant disruption. She also stood behind our commercial, administrative, and technical teams. Galyna and her team ensured the engine kept running. Their names, and those of other colleagues, aren’t always on the byline, but their work makes every story happen. Despite the ongoing disruptions caused by the war, we launched a full Ukrainian edition, refreshed our visual identity, and significantly expanded our international profile. Now major foreign outlets regularly quote us; Bohdan and other colleagues are regular voices on international and domestic networks explaining what is happening on the ground. Our 100% NewsGuard reliability score in 2023 acknowledged our commitment to accuracy. Kyiv Post infographic based on NewsGuard reliability ratings in 2023. (Image via Kyiv Post) As we approached Kyiv Post’s 30th anniversary in 2025, we were reminded that we are the current custodians of a legacy far bigger than ourselves, one that has included different owners and chief editors. We have continued the tradition while adapting and evolving our pitch and products to meet today’s fast-moving needs. Kyiv Post 30th anniversary celebrations logo in 2025. (Image via Kyiv Post) I only wish Adnan Kivan were still here for the approaching fifth anniversary of Kyiv Post’s rebirth, thanks to his vision and detached benevolence as a benign proprietor. His passing in 2024 was a personal tragedy. Adnan had seen repression in Syria, so he knew supporting Kyiv Post meant defending democracy against authoritarianism. He continued providing the crucial financial backing as Russia’s war intensified. His son, Ruslan Kivan, has taken over responsibility as publisher, and we are grateful for his continuation of his father’s legacy and support. Kyiv Post CEO Luc Chénier (left) and Kyiv Post owner Ruslan Kivan (right) (Photo via Kyiv Post) Meanwhile, our work has also extended beyond the newsroom. Together with our global readers, we have raised tens of thousands of dollars for charitable causes and sent essential supplies to defenders on the front lines. Through initiatives like Defenders Kitchen, Hector Jiménez-Bravo brought viewers face-to-face with Ukrainian soldiers over shared meals, highlighting the human lives beneath the uniforms. Kyiv Post Luc Chénier (left) presents an anti-drone weapon to representatives of the Ukrainian military. (Photo via Kyiv Post) That human connection is what will set us apart going forward. As major political shifts abroad change geopolitical reality, we need to move beyond the political talking points and report on what these decisions mean for real people. At the same time, generative AI and shifting tech platforms are putting new barriers between readers and original reporting. We are adapting to these technologies, but artificial intelligence can’t replace shoe-leather journalism – someone still has to interview witnesses, question officials, report from the battle zones, check evidence, and take responsibility for accuracy. These five years have brought things I’m immensely proud of, but also personal costs no readership metric can measure. As I prepare to attend and speak for the sixth time at the Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, next week, I will once again tell our story directly to leaders at The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Independent, Le Figaro, Axios, etc. My message to them will be straight to the point: When you need ground-floor intelligence on Ukraine, count on Kyiv Post. Our newsroom, archival depth, and local expertise are at your service. Kyiv Post CEO Luc Chénier (first from the left) represents Kyiv Post at the Web Summit in 2025. (Photo via Lisbon Web Summit) Sustaining Ukraine’s voice is a collective effort, and we respect and appreciate those doing the same. Building a viable business is essential, but our core mission goes far beyond commercial success: It is tied to Ukraine’s fight for freedom and survival. Adnan asked us to make the Kyiv Post even more relevant and influential using all the modern tools available to us. Keeping that promise has meant that Ukraine’s voice abroad now carries further and more authoritatively than ever before. As our dedicated readers of Kyiv Post, we thank you for your continued support, for believing in our team, our mission, and, most importantly, Ukraine’s cause as a defender of democracy, international law, and basic human decency.