Marci Shore is an American historian and associate professor at Yale University, where she teaches modern European intellectual history. She is the author of Caviar and Ashes: A Warsaw Generation’s Life and Death in Marxism, 1918-1968; The Taste of Ashes: The Afterlife of Totalitarianism in Eastern Europe, and The Ukrainian Night: An Intimate History of Revolution. Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and chief editor of UkraineWorld, speaks to Marci Shore about the importance of Central ...
Mar 04, 2023•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast How is Russian imperialism similar to, and different from, other imperialisms that we know? What are its key traits with regard to the questions of difference and sameness, domination, nation-states, and mythology of the past? 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. Suppo...
Mar 03, 2023•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of our Propaganda Diary, we continue looking at the genocidal rhetoric of Russian propaganda. We analyze the most common messages of the Russian “media” and “experts” that Ukraine should not exist, that Russia should “de-Ukrainianize” Ukraine, and that its strikes against civilians are “justified.” Volodymyr Yermolenko, UkraineWorld’s chief editor, speaks to UkraineWorld analyst Anastasia Herasymchuk. Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld.org, a website in English about...
Mar 02, 2023•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast China has released a peace plan with the aim of putting forward ideas that could stop Russia’s war against Ukraine - but are they realistic? The UN General Assembly’s recent resolution demanding a Russian withdrawal shows overwhelming support for Ukraine, but the “abstaining” countries form a stable block. Belarusian partisans reportedly blew up a military plane in Belarus, which is a sign to Lukashenka that internal resistance to his dictatorship is increasing. There are warnings that Ukraine h...
Feb 28, 2023•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast What are the parallels between Putinist Russia and Syria of Bashar al-Assad? Why is the cult of violence widespread in both countries? Targeting hospitals, humanitarian corridors, and civilian infrastructure - how have Russian tactics in Syria and Ukraine been similar? What are the parallels between the Arab Spring and Ukrainian Maidans? Why is Ukraine important for the Middle East today? UkraineWorld’s chief editor Volodymyr Yermolenko invites Jean-Pierre Filiu, a professor at Sciences Po (Pari...
Feb 27, 2023•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of our Propaganda Diary, we look at the genocidal rhetoric of Russian propaganda. Before starting the full-scale war, Russian politicians and media figures systematically spread the message that Ukraine does not exist and is an artificial state which should be eliminated. During the war, this propaganda turned into genuine genocidal rhetoric with calls to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine and to kill two million Ukrainians. Volodymyr Yermolenko, UkraineWorld’s chief editor, spe...
Feb 26, 2023•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast One year has passed since Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine. In this episode, we draw lessons from this past year: the strength of Ukrainian society, its transformative power, its grassroots nature, as well as the weakness of Russian authoritarianism and its imprisonment in the past. We also analyze the global dimension of this war, discuss the stages of this full-scale invasion, and try to reflect on what we can expect in the near future. Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian ...
Feb 23, 2023•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast This episode is an interview given by UkraineWorld’s chief editor and host of the Explaining Ukraine podcast Volodymyr Yermolenko to "Die Kulturmittler", a podcast by ifa, Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen, a German organisation for international cultural relations. Together, we look at the past year and how Ukrainian civil society and the cultural scene have developed during the war in Ukraine. Original publication: https://www.ifa.de/podcast-ukraines-cultural-scene-after-a-year-of-war-with-volo...
Feb 23, 2023•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 
