Explaining Ukraine - podcast cover

Explaining Ukraine

UkraineWorldukraineworld.org
A podcast by UkraineWorld.org, a multimedia project about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine. Explaining Ukraine, its politics, society and its culture. Support us: patreon.com/ukraineworld

Episodes

A story of a Ukrainian village head tortured by the Russian soldiers

Mykola, the acting head of Nechvolodivka, a village near Kupyansk in Kharkiv Oblast, was twice kidnapped and tortured by the Russian occupiers. We went to his village and spoke to him and his family. In this episode, we tell you the story of him and his family’s story - and try to look at the patterns of Russian cruelty during the occupation. Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and journalist, chief editor of UkraineWorld.org, and Tetyana Ogarkova, Ukrainian scholar and journalist...

Jun 29, 202330 min

Nuclear threats from Russia; Ukraine's counteroffensive, postwar reconstruction - Weekly, 17-23 June

While Ukraine is gradually moving forward in its counteroffensive, Russia keeps attacking Ukrainian cities with drones and missiles almost every night, and is blackmailing the whole world with the threat of a nuclear disaster. Even though the war rages on, Ukraine is already planning reconstruction, and discussed its plans with international partners at this week’s Ukraine Recovery Conference in London. This is our weekly overview of key events and trends in and around Ukraine. Volodymyr Yermole...

Jun 23, 202327 min

Ukraine's counteroffensive, African diplomacy, 13th Rammstein meeting - Weekly, 9-16 June

Another Rammstein meeting delivers on further support to Ukraine while the latter achieves its first successes in the counteroffensive. In the meantime, a delegation of African leaders embarks on a peacemaking tour to Ukraine and Russia. This is our weekly overview of key events and trends in and around Ukraine. Volodymyr Yermolenko, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, is joined by Maksym Panchenko and Anastasiia Herasymchuk, analysts and journalists at UkraineWorld, to discuss 7 key events in and...

Jun 16, 202331 min

Is this war different from others? - with Janine di Giovanni | Ep. 235

Every war is different, yet they share a lot of similarities. Bosnia, Syria, Iraq, Chechnya, Ukraine - how can these wars be compared? What are the patterns of Russian actions in Chechnya and Syria which are being repeated in Ukraine? Why should we talk about evil? - Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher and chief editor of UkraineWorld.org, invites Janine di Giovanni, a prominent American war correspondent who has worked in Chechnya, Iraq, Syria, Bosnia, and many other places, and is th...

Jun 12, 202346 min

Kakhovka ecocide, its causes, and impact - Weekly, 5-9 June | Ep. 234

On June 6th, Russia blew up the Kakhovka dam, causing a massive environmental catastrophe in southern Ukraine. The impact of this ecocide will last for decades. In this episode, we discuss the causes of this crime, and its consequences for Ukraine’s people, ecosystems, economy, and war effort. - Volodymyr Yermolenko, chief editor of UkraineWorld.org, talks to Maksym Panchenko and Anastasiia Herasymchuk, analysts and journalists at UkraineWorld.org. UkraineWorld is brought to you by Internews Ukr...

Jun 09, 202340 min

How Ukraine gave up its nukes, and why this made it vulnerable - with Mariana Budjeryn

In 1994, Ukraine gave up the nuclear weapons it had inherited from the Soviet Union. It was invited to sign the Budapest Memorandum with Russia, the UK, and the US, which was supposed to give Ukraine security assurances. Russia broke these assurances first in 2014, and then in 2022, by invading and occupying Ukraine. Since 1994, Ukraine has found itself in a security vacuum, which, directly or indirectly, invited Russia to attack. - In this episode, Ukrainian philosopher Volodymyr Yermolenko spe...

Jun 07, 202356 min

Russia blows up the Kakhovka dam and creates a huge environmental disaster

On June 6th Russia blew up the dam of the Kakhovka hydropower plant in Southern Ukraine. This act of geopolitical terrorism and ecocide produces a major environmental disaster for decades to come. It also puts the Zaporizzhia nuclear power plant (the biggest NPP in Europe) at a significant risk. We have recorded a Twitter space to discuss this tragedy, based on our conversations with the Ukrainian experts and journalists. Volodymyr Yermolenko, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, is joined by Maksy...

Jun 06, 202335 min

Russia’s continued bombing of Ukraine; Patriot coalition; China’s diplomacy - Weekly, 30.05 - 5.06

Russia’s daily bombardment of Ukrainian cities; a drone attack on Moscow; Ukraine’s efforts to create a coalition to deliver Patriot air defense systems; China’s peace diplomacy in Europe; the US new aid package to Ukraine; another raid by the Russian Volunteer Corps in Belgorod; and the creation of a Marine Corps in Ukraine. - This is our weekly overview of key events and trends in and around Ukraine. Volodymyr Yermolenko, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, is joined by Maksym Panchenko, journal...

Jun 05, 202340 min

Ukraine and the Jewish world - with Rabbi Jacobson

Why is Ukraine important to the Jewish world? Which figures and elements of Jewish religious history and culture are linked to Ukraine? How can we look at Ukrainian and Jewish history in a way that treats tragedies with justice but also discovers parallels and interconnections? – Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and chief editor of UkraineWorld, speaks to Rabbi Jacobson, a Jewish scholar, best-selling author, and Founding Dean of The Meaningful Life Center in New York. Thinking in Dar...

Jun 03, 20231 hr 2 min

How Ukrainians overcome their inferiority complex — with the Ukraine Calling podcast

A conversation about the Ukrainian experience during the war, Russian fascism, the future of this war, and Ukrainian security. Volodymyr Yermolenko, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, was a guest on Ukraine Calling, a podcast by Hromadske Radio, a Ukrainian independent radio broadcaster. Host: Andriy Kulykov, Chairman of the Hromadske Radio NGO and a Ukrainian radio and TV journalist. Original: https://hromadske.radio/en/podcasts/ukraine-calling/i-do-think-that-ukraine-is-able-to-not-only-too-jus...

May 30, 202335 min

Bakhmut, F-16 fighter jets, Russian volunteer corps - Explaining Ukraine Weekly, 22-29 May

Bakhmut, F-16 fighter jets, Russian volunteer corps attacks Russia - Explaining Ukraine Weekly, 22-29 May 7 key events in and around Ukraine over the past week: Zelensky on G7 meeting; agreement on F16 fighter jets; Russia ready to transfer nukes to Belarus; Ukraine returns its POWs; the situation in Bakhmut; Russian volunteer corps attacks Russia; Putin sends even more missiles and drones on Ukraine. Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld For patrons: deeper analysis of three topics: the deport...

May 29, 202334 min

Ukrainian Identity vs Putin’s tyranny - Volodymyr Yermolenko with the Silicon Curtain podcast

A conversation about Ukrainian identity, Europe, and Russian imperialism. Volodymyr Yermolenko, UkraineWorld’s chief editor, was a guest of the Silicon Curtain podcast (https://www.youtube.com/@SiliconCurtain) and its host Jonathan Fink. Original (video): https://youtu.be/v4y-l6jsJeA UkraineWorld is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of the largest Ukrainian media NGOs. Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld

May 24, 202359 min

Ukraine as seen from Latin America - with Carolina Amoroso | Thinking in Dark Times # 18

In this episode, Argentinian journalist Carolina Amoroso speaks about her experience of reporting from Ukraine during the war. She shares her understanding of the Ukrainian struggle, the strength of Ukrainian resistance, and the driving role of women in Ukrainians’ fight for their freedom. Carolina Amoroso is an Argentinian journalist and book author who has won several media awards in her country. She has reported from Ukraine during the Russian invasion. – Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian...

May 23, 202331 min

Timothy Garton Ash - on Ukraine’s role in Europe | Thinking in Dark Times # 17

Why should we avoid dividing Europe into “Western,” “Central,” and “Eastern,” and instead speak of Europe as a whole? What is Ukraine’s struggle bringing to the European idea? What is it like for a British intellectual to visit Ukraine during the war? Why must Europe regain its strength and power? Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and chief editor of UkraineWorld.org, speaks to Timothy Garton Ash, a British historian, the author of eleven books on politics and the ‘history of the prese...

May 19, 202348 min

EU diplomat Søren Liborius. World War II and the Russian invasion of Ukraine - Vol. 2

How does Russian propaganda manipulate World War II, and how is it using the Allied victory over Nazism to justify its current invasion of Ukraine? How does Russia make the "West" into an enemy, and how has this process evolved since 2022? How does Russia use pop culture to promote its narratives and justify its cruel war against Ukraine? Ukrainian philosopher and journalist, chief editor of UkraineWorld.org Volodymyr Yermolenko, speaks to Søren Liborius, Chief Advisor in the EU External Action ...

May 09, 202353 min

Historian Serhii Plokhii: World War II and the Russian invasion of Ukraine - Vol. 1

Russia has tried to assert a monopoly for itself in the victory over Nazism in WWII. But what role did Ukrainians and other nations of the former USSR play in this victory? What is the role of 1945 in Russia's current ideology? How has it influenced the Russian invasion of Ukraine? What are the major elements of the Ukrainian political identity that explain the country's resistance today? Has Russia been defeated in wars in the past? Will Russian defeat today be good for Russia itself? – Ukraini...

May 09, 202346 min

This Ukrainian man lost 7 members of his family to a Russian bomb. We’re telling his story | Ep. 222

A Ukrainian man lost 7 members of his family, including 3 children, in a matter of seconds. They were killed by a Russian bomb in Izyum in March 2022. We met him one year after this tragedy and will tell you his story. Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and journalist, chief editor of UkraineWorld.org, and Tetyana Ogarkova, Ukrainian scholar and journalist, head of international outreach at the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre. Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld . Support our volu...

May 05, 202338 min

Nicolas Tenzer - on morality in geopolitics | Thinking in Dark Times # 14

Nicolas Tenzer is a French philosopher, analyst, and author of numerous texts about the issues of security and strategy. He founded and runs the blog “Tenzer Strategics” (in English). Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and chief editor of UkraineWorld, speaks to Nicolas Tenzer about the similarities between Nazism and Stalinism/Putinism, about morality in politics, and the need for more Western involvement in the fight against Putinist Russia. UkraineWorld is brought to you by Internews...

Apr 25, 202359 min

There is still much to learn about Ukrainian history - with historian Andrii Portnov

Andrii Portnov is a Ukrainian historian and essayist, the Chair Professor of Entangled History of Ukraine at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) in Germany, and one of the EU's rare professors of Ukrainian history. Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and chief editor of UkraineWorld, speaks to Andrii Portnov about stereotypes we need to overcome when looking at Ukrainian history, about the blind spots of the Ukrainian past, and the ideological diversity of Ukrainian inte...

Apr 21, 202358 min

What’s happening on the Eastern front? Bakhmut, Lyman, Slovyansk, and more | Ep. 219

What is happening on the frontline? Are Russian claims of taking over Bakhmut true? What does the situation on the Eastern front look like? Are there still people living in destroyed frontline villages? Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and journalist, chief editor of UkraineWorld.org, and Tetyana Ogarkova, Ukrainian scholar and journalist, in charge of international outreach at the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre. Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld. Support our humanitarian tri...

Apr 06, 202339 min

Finland joins NATO: has Russia’s strategy failed? - Around Ukraine # 10

Finland has officially joined NATO, which is further proof that the results of Russia’s foreign policy are contrary to its strategic goals. Russia has drafted a new “foreign policy doctrine” in which it claims to be a “state-civilization,” in line with the worst far-right Eurasianist ideas. - In a new episode of the series Around Ukraine, Volodymyr Yermolenko, UkraineWorld’s chief editor, speaks to UkraineWorld analyst Maksym Panchenko. Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld.org, a webs...

Apr 05, 202335 min

Writers under attack: the cases of Ukraine, Nicaragua, Myanmar, and Egypt - with PEN International

PEN International, a worldwide association of writers, presented its 2022 CASE LIST, which documents 115 cases of writers facing harassment, arrest, violence and even death. This episode is a recording of an online panel of writers and activists discussing the situation surrounding freedom of expression globally, on the occasion of the publication of the 2022 Case list. The discussion focuses on cases in Ukraine under Russian attack, Egypt, Myanmar, and Nicaragua. Participants include Ma Thida (...

Mar 31, 20231 hr 6 min

Putin plays a nuclear card again - Around Ukraine #9

Putin is threatening to deploy Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus. This could amount to a violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. China and Japan have opposing attitudes to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which shows a clear divide between the two major Asian powers. In a new episode of the series Around Ukraine, Volodymyr Yermolenko, UkraineWorld’s chief editor, speaks to UkraineWorld analyst Maksym Panchenko. Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld.org, a website in English...

Mar 28, 202333 min

Ukraine’s fight against corruption: is it effective? - With Allan Pagh Kristensen

Fighting corruption is an essential element of Ukraine’s EU integration. To understand the EU perspective on this process, we spoke to Allan Pagh Kristensen, a Danish diplomat who heads the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative in Ukraine. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and chief editor of UkraineWorld. UkraineWorld is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of the oldest Ukrainian media NGOs. Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld. Support our humanitarian trips to the frontline are...

Mar 27, 202342 min

How Russia uses the grain exports problem to manipulate the global public - Propaganda diary #8

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its occupation of large parts of Ukraine’s Black Sea littoral zone caused serious problems for the exports of Ukrainian food worldwide. Although a “grain deal” was signed, it remains fragile, with Russia threatening to end it and blaming Ukraine for causing a food security crisis. In this episode of our “Propaganda Diary,” we analyze how Russia talks about the grain deal in its discourse to manipulate the global public and blame the victim. Volodymyr Yermolenko, ...

Mar 24, 202323 min

Are we facing a new China-Russia axis? - Around Ukraine #8

China’s leader Xi Jinping paid a visit to Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin and stress the strength of the China-Russia axis. The visit took place days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Putin and Russia’s children rights ombudswoman Mariya Lvova-Belova for ordering and overseeing the kidnapping of Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. Russia downed an American drone over the Black Sea, well beyond Russian territorial waters. In a ...

Mar 22, 202330 min

Askold Melnyczuk - on Ukrainian literature, diaspora, and culture during the war

Askold Melnyczuk is a prominent American writer of Ukrainian descent, and author of books What Is Told; Ambassador of the Dead; House of Widows; The Man Who Would Not Bow, and others. His novels have earned honors as a New York Times Notable, an LA Times Best Books of the Year, and an Editor’s Choice by the American Library Association’s Booklist. Melnyczuk has also translated numerous Ukrainian authors into English. Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and chief editor of UkraineWorld, s...

Mar 21, 202357 min

Gillian Tett - on anthropology, imperialism, and the West’s (mis)perceptions of Ukraine

Gillian Tett is a British journalist and author. She is chair of the editorial board and US editor-at-large of the Financial Times. She is the author of "Fool's Gold"; "The Silo Effect" and "Anthro-Vision: A New Way to See in Business and Life". Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and chief editor of UkraineWorld, speaks to Gillian Tett about how anthropology can help us understand the world, what the West has gotten wrong about Ukraine in the past, and how Russian imperialism is differe...

Mar 19, 202348 min

Different countries, similar narratives? Ukraine’s and Slovakia’s experience with Russian propaganda

In this episode of our "Propaganda Diary", we discuss joint Ukrainian-Slovak research studying the key narratives of Russian propaganda in both countries. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and chief editor of UkraineWorld. Guests: Peter Dubóczi, Research fellow of Adapt Institute and Director of Infosecurity.sk, and Alona Hryshko, journalist and analyst at UkraineWorld. UkraineWorld is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of the oldest Ukrainian media NGOs. Support us at patr...

Mar 17, 202348 min

Is there a risk of the West changing its Ukraine policy? - Around Ukraine # 7

Is there a risk of the West changing course with its Ukraine policy? Are democratic values moving eastwards with the protests in Georgia? Why should we be worried about Russian-Iranian military trade? In a new episode of our Around Ukraine series, Volodymyr Yermolenko, UkraineWorld’s chief editor, speaks to UkraineWorld analyst Maksym Panchenko. Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld.org, a website in English about Ukraine, brought to you by Internews Ukraine. Support us at patreon.com/...

Mar 15, 202332 min