US president Joe Biden paid an unexpected visit to Kyiv, showing support for Ukraine and sending a strong signal to Russia. The Munich Security Conference showed a solidified consensus among Western leaders that Russia must be militarily defeated. A Russian-planned coup-d’etat was foiled in Moldova. China announced that it would put forward peace proposals to end the Russian war in Ukraine, but there are doubts about how realistic they are. In a new episode of the series Around Ukraine, Volodymy...
Feb 22, 2023•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast What is it like to live inside history? Why was Fukuyama’s idea of “the end of history” wrong? What does history mean, and why is Ukraine important for the world’s future? Why is Russia a captive of the past, while Europe is a captive of the present - and why is this dangerous? 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 ...
Feb 20, 2023•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of our Propaganda Diary, we look at the top methods Russian propaganda has used during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. We analyze how Kremlin propagandists mirror their opponents’ arguments; deny Ukraine’s existence, dehumanize Ukrainians and other nations, sanctify their aggression, use conspiracy theories, bring out pseudo-experts, and use other methods of manipulation, distortion, and disinformation. Volodymyr Yermolenko, UkraineWorld’s chief editor, speaks to UkraineWorld...
Feb 17, 2023•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast What would Ukrainian victory in this war look like? Why is Ukraine’s accession to NATO essential? Is the West’s support of Ukraine sufficient? Could Russia become a new Latin America? UkraineWorld’s chief editor Volodymyr Yermolenko speaks to Ostap Kryvdyk, a Ukrainian security and defense expert, active-duty Ukrainian soldier, and chair of the Ukrainian Strategic Initiative, a Kyiv Mohyla Academy think tank. Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld.org, a website in English about Ukraine...
Feb 16, 2023•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of our Around Ukraine series, we discuss the 9th Ramstein meeting held this week; the latest mass wave of Russian missile strikes against Ukraine, with one missile allegedly flying over a NATO member’s territory; and increasing calls from the Western governments to their nationals to leave the territories of Russia and Belarus. Volodymyr Yermolenko, UkraineWorld’s chief editor, speaks to UkraineWorld’s analyst Maksym Panchenko. Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld.org,...
Feb 16, 2023•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of our Propaganda Diary, we look at how Russian propagandists have responded to the catastrophic earthquake in Türkiye and Syria, as well as how they continue to threaten missile strikes on European capitals, and how they try to dismiss the idea of a tribunal against Putin and his regime. Volodymyr Yermolenko, UkraineWorld’s chief editor, speaks to UkraineWorld analysts Alona Hryshko and Anastasia Herasymchuk. Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld.org, a website in Engl...
Feb 10, 2023•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of our series Around Ukraine, we talk about the EU-Ukraine summit held in Kyiv and strong EU support for Ukraine’s victory and recovery. Also, President Volodymyr Zelensky visits London and Paris, and Ukraine shows solidarity with the Turkish and Syrian peoples after their horrible earthquake. Volodymyr Yermolenko, UkraineWorld’s chief editor, speaks to UkraineWorld’s analyst Maksym Panchenko. Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld.org, a website in English about Ukraine...
Feb 09, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast This war is full of incredible stories of Ukrainians who resisted the Russian invasion. We went to northeastern Ukraine, right along the Russian border, and talked to people there who lived through very difficult moments one year ago. In this episode, we will tell you their stories. 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 M...
Feb 06, 2023•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Northeastern Ukraine, one of the most vulnerable areas of the country, is very close to the border with Russia. How did this region get through the Russian invasion one year ago, and how is it living now? We went to the borderlands of Sumy Oblast, in northeastern Ukraine, just a few dozen kilometers from the Russian border, to learn more. Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and journalist, chief editor of UkraineWorld.org, and Tetyana Ogarkova, Ukrainian scholar and journalist, he...
Feb 06, 2023•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why is helping Ukraine’s small and medium enterprises a vital component of the country’s recovery from the war? What are the challenges Ukraine is and will be facing from the war’s large-scale destruction? Explaining Ukraine speaks to Dana Pavlychko, owner of Osnovy Publishing, and CEO of United for Ukraine, a foundation that provides emergency relief to people affected by the war. Volodymyr Yermolenko, UkraineWorld’s chief editor, also speaks to Dana about Dmytro Pavlychko, her grandfather and ...
Feb 02, 2023•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast In our new series, “Propaganda Diary," we analyze both new and recurring topics of Russian propaganda justifying the current invasion of Ukraine. In this episode, we look at how Russian propagandists responded to the news that Ukraine’s allies decided to supply the country with modern tanks. Volodymyr Yermolenko, UkraineWorld’s chief editor, speaks to UkraineWorld analysts Alona Hryshko and Anastasia Herasymchuk. Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld.org, a website in English about Ukr...
Feb 02, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast In our new series, “Around Ukraine," we analyze the international context of the current Russian invasion of Ukraine, to understand how it can influence Ukraine’s resistance and resilience. In this episode, we talk about the decision by Ukraine’s allies to supply the country with modern tanks and the prospects of further arms supplies. Also, we talk about the end of the Zeman era in the Czech Republic, and increasing Iranian engagement into an axis of authoritarianism. Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukra...
Feb 01, 2023•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast What lessons does Ukraine have for the world today? How does its history resemble the histories and cultures of other post-colonial nations? Can Ukraine develop a new 21st-century ecoculture based on its folkloric traditions? This is a new episode of the Explaining Ukraine podcast from UkraineWorld. Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and journalist, chief editor of UkraineWorld.org, speaks to Anna Pidgorna, a Ukrainian-Canadian singer and composer. Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld...
Jan 30, 2023•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast Can we call the current conflict a genocidal war? Why is Russia willing to eliminate Ukraine and Ukrainian identity? Why does it consider Ukraine an “artificial nation?” What are the deeper roots of Russia’s genocidal intentions? This is a new episode of the Explaining Ukraine podcast from UkraineWorld. 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...
Jan 30, 2023•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast Oleksandra Matviychuk is a Ukrainian human rights defender, and the head of the Centre for Civil Liberties, a Ukrainian NGO which was awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. Volodymyr Yermolenko, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, speaks to Oleksandra Matviychuk about her Nobel lecture, the need to bring back focus on human rights worldwide, and the need to ensure justice for the victims of war. The goal of the series Thinking in Dark Times is to make Ukraine and its current war a focal point of our ...
Jan 27, 2023•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Local apocalypse in Eastern Ukraine. We went there again, and this is what we can tell you. In some villages, every single house has been destroyed, without exception, and some tiny towns have been practically wiped off the face of the earth. It will be a long time before normal life can return to these places. This is the result of the Russian crime of aggression, cruel and senseless. This is our new episode of the “Explaining Ukraine” podcast by UkraineWorld. Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrai...
Jan 25, 2023•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast Anne Applebaum is an American journalist and historian, Pulitzer Prize winner (2004), author of numerous books about Eastern Europe and global politics, and Washington Post columnist. Volodymyr Yermolenko, chief editor of UkraineWorld, speaks to Anne Applebaum about the deep roots of the Ukrainian resistance, the history of Russian totalitarianism, KGB politics, and the cult of impunity. The goal of the series Thinking in Dark Times is to make Ukraine and its current war a focal point of our com...
Jan 23, 2023•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, we’re giving an overview of Ukraine in 2022: suffering and heroism of the full-scale war; Russian war crimes and genocidal violence; and the strength and resistance of Ukrainian society. 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
Dec 31, 2022•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kherson, a regional capital in Southern Ukraine, was liberated from Russian occupation in November. Since then, Russians have been trying to make life in the city unbearable. They shell it with artillery every day. We went to Kherson on a volunteer mission with PEN Ukraine and will tell you the city's story in this episode. Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and journalist, chief editor of UkraineWorld.org, and Tetyana Ogarkova, Ukrainian scholar and journalist, in charge of inte...
Dec 30, 2022•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast The city of Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine has been under constant Russian bombardment for 9 months. The city has lived without water and electricity for a long time. The situation improved after Ukrainians liberated Kherson, another regional capital 80 km from Mykolaiv. We went to Mykolaiv with PEN Ukraine to learn how the city is living today. Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and journalist, chief editor of UkraineWorld.org, and Tetyana Ogarkova, Ukrainian scholar and journalis...
Dec 29, 2022•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why do women play such an important role in Ukrainian culture? How is Ukrainian feminist emancipation connected with national emancipation? Who are the Ukrainian female authors you need to know about? 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
Dec 28, 2022•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can we explain Russian war crimes? Do they derive from a specific cult of violence present in Russian history? Why is the value of life so low in Russian politics and society? 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
Dec 27, 2022•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Russia shelled the center of Kherson on Dec 24th, on Chrismas eve, killing at least 10 and wounding over 50 people. Putin and Lukashenka are preparing a new attempt to attack Kyiv. Zelensky visited the frontline in Bakhmut, and made the first (since Feb 24) trip abroad to Washington and Warsaw. This is an overview of key events and trends in and around Ukraine on December 18-24th, 2022. Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and journalist, chief editor of UkraineWorld.org, and Tetya...
Dec 24, 2022•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ukrainian social and political life is profoundly decentralized. It is based upon the idea of the hromada, an autonomous grassroots community, able to defend itself when it is facing aggression. This is what is happening now with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. One of the intellectual roots of this decentralized political culture can be found in the prominent Ukrainian 19th century intellectual Mykhailo Drahomanov. In this episode, we tell you his story. - Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian...
Dec 21, 2022•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kazymyr Malevych was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. His Black Square and other paintings revolutionized the avant garde art of the early 20th century. He was born in Kyiv to a Polish family, and his style and thinking were inspired by Ukrainian folk art, but he is still presented worldwide as a Russian artist. In this episode, we will try to show you why Malevych should be seen in the Ukrainian context. - Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and journalist...
Dec 20, 2022•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast What does it look like to spend 36 hours without electricity, water, mobile connection, and heating? We, along with so many other Ukrainians, are experiencing longer electricity cuts because of Russian missile and drone strikes, and are preparing for a challenging winter. - 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 Cent...
Dec 19, 2022•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast What can philosophy and literature contribute during wartime? How do we shape our relationship with the past? How do we assess our identities? Moreover, how do we deal with reality? In the podcast of the International School for Philosophy (ISVW) in Netherlands, its host Bart Geeraedts talks to Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld.org and host of the "Explaining Ukraine" podcast. In this conversation, Volodymyr Yermolenko speaks about the current situation ...
Dec 18, 2022•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast A feminist, environmentalist, and one of the greatest dramatists in European literature, Lesya Ukrainka’s works are now getting new attention from Ukraine and beyond. Her texts are not widely translated into foreign languages - a gap that certainly needs to be filled. Our conversation about Lesya Ukrainka is part of our new series Discovering Ukrainian culture. – Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and journalist, chief editor of UkraineWorld.org, and Tetyana Ogarkova, Ukrainian s...
Dec 13, 2022•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Russian hostile propaganda against the “West” and the democratic world has been getting ever more insane over the past years. But the “anti-Western” topics in Russian propaganda have deep cultural roots. The opposition to the “West” has been a recurrent topic in the thinking of key Russian intellectual figures, regardless of their ideology. In this episode, we try to analyze and understand these roots. – Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and journalist, chief editor of UkraineWo...
Dec 12, 2022•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast We visited villages between Izyum and Slovyansk which were wiped off the face of the Earth in the spring. We talked to people still living there. Their living conditions are horrible. Listen to our dispatches from these places. – 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
Dec 11, 2022•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
