5 News Stories That Packed a Punch

In late February, in one of the most ill-timed vacations ever, I found myself in Rome. My first breakfast was interrupted by frantic phone calls from our folks in Kharkiv, Ukraine, just as Russian troop columns started rolling. And there went my vacation, Ukraine’s near future, Europe’s security, and the rest of the year in terms of news.

Russia’s speedy invasion of Ukraine; the deliberate Russian obliteration of civilian infrastructure; and the war crimes, mass graves, and mass kidnappings have all riveted the world’s attention. However, the second act is yet to come: Ukrainians have to face a winter with much Russian spite and little Ukrainian recourse to find heat, light, or water.

But this year wasn’t only about Ukraine. Afghanistan was reclaimed by fanatical zealots not long before the war began, and they cast a burka black shadow throughout. Africa has not had its best day, democracy-wise. And in Asia, the United States and China amped up their showdown over trade, technology, and Taiwan. 

Foreign Policy’s news writers were on top of all of these developments. Sometimes, our stories prompted congressional inquiries. Less often, our writers were arrested at gunpoint. It’s been a busy, messy year.

Here are the top five stories that had the most impact.

1. Russia Planning Post-Invasion Arrest and Assassination Campaign in Ukraine, U.S. Officials Say

by Amy Mackinnon, Robbie Gramer, and Jack Detsch, Feb. 18

Most European policymakers (except in the Baltics) refused to believe Russia was going to invade Ukraine despite repeated U.S. warnings. But this mid-February story about Russian kill lists convinced minds in European capitals, saved a lot of lives by getting people out of the country, and set the stage for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and other international bodies to monitor a growing catalog of Russian war crimes.

2. Ukrainian Staff at U.S. Embassy, Left Behind, Say U.S. Is Backtracking on Promises of Support

by Robbie Gramer and Amy Mackinnon, March 16

The United States spent ages warning Ukraine and European allies about Russia’s impending invasion, which finally dropped in February. But it didn’t apparently make any plans for what to do with hundreds of local staff at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, which were quickly evacuated (perhaps for good).

Feeling utterly abandoned in a war zone with no job, no income, and no support, the embassy staff pleaded for U.S. State Department help to support their families and make plans for the future—only to be fobbed off. Foreign Policy’s series of stories brought public scrutiny to their plight, leading to public outcry and pressure from Capitol Hill for the State Department to offer the employees lifelines and financial assistance during the uncertain early days of the war.

3. The Taliban Detained Me for Doing My Job. I Can Never Go Back.

by Lynne O’Donnell, July 20

Taliban fighters wait as people gather for a ceremony to raise the Taliban flag on Wazir Akbar Khan hill in Kabul on March 31. AHMAD SAHEL ARMAN/AFP via Getty Images

I got a What’sApp message at lunchtime from FP’s Lynne O’Donnell that the Taliban had detained her. We were on the phone during her interrogation. This is the uber-story of the Taliban’s assault on free press, women, and the West. At this point, nobody can go back. So much for Taliban 2.0.

4. Cafe Meeting Turns into Tense Car Chase for U.S. Senate Aides in Zimbabwe

by Robbie Gramer, Sept. 16

It looked like a Jason Bourne-style car chase through the streets of Harare, Zimbabwe. But it was U.S. congressional staffers trying to escape Zimbabwean goons who were tailing them for holding talks with opposition figures. The diplomatic incident—and FP’s story that revealed it—sparked outrage on Capitol Hill and led to increased U.S. scrutiny from the Biden administration on Zimbabwe’s human rights abuses.

5. The Rebirth of Congo’s Rebellion

by Mélanie Gouby, July 4

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been in turmoil for years, decades, or well more than a century depending on the accounting. Journalist Mélanie Gouby focuses on the recent M23 rebel movement, backed by neighboring countries like Rwanda and Uganda. After this story, U.S. and European Union attention pivoted back to a long-forgotten conflict. It might yet pay off.