How the Kyiv Independent used global sympathy to generate membership revenue

My newsletter: https://simonowens.substack.com/   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.