Explaining Ukraine

Latest Episodes:

You can help save lives on the frontline - with Gennadiy Druzenko Feb 07, 2024

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He is one of Ukraine’s top constitutional lawyers and experts in EU law. But he is also the founder of a mobile medical hospital which has saved hundreds of thousands of lives on the frontline since 2014. Today’s Ukraine is a country where these social roles are often combined. The Explaining Ukraine podcast invites Gennadiy Druzenko, a Ukrainian lawyer and founder of the Mykola Pyrohov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital (PDMSh), which works every day to aid , evacuate, and stabilize wounded and sick Ukrainian soldiers from the frontlines. Hospital’s website: https://www.pdmsh.ua/en Support their work: https://www.medbat.org.ua/en/to-support-the-hospital/ Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld and president of PEN Ukraine UkraineWorld (ukraineworld.org) is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of the largest Ukrainian media NGOs. Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld. We provide exclusive content for our patrons. You can also support our volunteer trips to the frontlines at PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

How does Ukraine intend on winning the war? - Weekly, 29 Jan-4 Feb Feb 05, 2024

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A new method of war based on technology, a new training philosophy, and new combat capabilities - that’s what Ukraine needs to create a more favourable advantage on the battlefield, according to Valeriy Zalyzhnyy in his last article for CNN, which was published amid ongoing rumours about his possible dismissal. Meanwhile, EU leaders agreed on €50 billion of support for Ukraine - a vital aid package. This is our weekly roundup of key events and trends in and around Ukraine. Volodymyr Yermolenko, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, is joined by Anastasiia Herasymchuk and Dariia Synhaievska, analysts and journalists at UkraineWorld, to discuss key events and trends in and around Ukraine over the past week. Listen on various platforms: li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine UkraineWorld (ukraineworld.org) is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of the largest Ukrainian media NGOs. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/ukraineworld We provide exclusive content for our patrons. You can also support our volunteer trips to the frontlines at PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

Human stories of this war - with Nataliya Gumenyuk Feb 01, 2024

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Let us look again at the human stories of this war. Let us recall the hundreds of people in Yahidne forced by Russian soldiers to live in a village school basement for almost a month. Let us hear the story of the crowd of people at Kramatorsk railway station struck by a Russian missile while they were waiting for an evacuation train. Let us remember stories of people living in residential buildings on which Russians warplanes dropped bombs in Chernihiv. Let us remember that the war is always about human suffering, and that this war in particular is about unthinkable Russian cruelty. Most of all, let us work hard to ensure that justice prevails. The Explaining Ukraine podcast speaks to Nataliya Gumenyuk, one of Ukraine’s best-known reporters and founder of the Reckoning Project. It recently published a book of reports from this war titled The Most Horrible Days of My Life (Найстрашніші дні мого життя), telling some of the human stories of this war in detail. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld and president of PEN Ukraine. UkraineWorld (ukraineworld.org) is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of the largest Ukrainian media NGOs. SUPPORT us at https://www.patreon.com/ukraineworld. We provide exclusive content for our patrons. You can also support our volunteer trips to the frontlines at PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

Russia intensifies its efforts to build an autocratic coalition - Weekly, 23-27 January Jan 29, 2024

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Russia intensifies cooperation with its allies striving to strengthen its international position and overcome the negative effects of the sanctions regime. Ukrainian partners keep looking for mechanisms not to let Ukraine lose its existential war. Meanwhile, Ukraine is seeking ways to find common ground with its neighbours, in particular Slovakia. This is our weekly roundup of key events and trends in and around Ukraine. Volodymyr Yermolenko, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, is joined by Anastasiia Herasymchuk and Dariia Synhaievska, analysts and journalists at UkraineWorld, to discuss key events and trends in and around Ukraine over the past week. Listen on various platforms: li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine UkraineWorld (ukraineworld.org) is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of the largest Ukrainian media NGOs. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/ukraineworld We provide exclusive content for our patrons. You can also support our volunteer trips to the frontlines at PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

Why we should talk to victims - with Dutch writers visiting Ukraine Jan 26, 2024

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Yahidne is a Ukrainian village where the Russian army forced over 300 Ukrainians into a school basement and kept them for almost a month. 10 people died from suffocation and a lack of food and water. It was just one of Russia's countless war crimes during this war. A group of Dutch writers visited Yahidne in December 2023 as part of a trip organized by PEN Ukraine with support from the Ukrainian Institute and the Prague Civil Society Centre. We organized a discussion with them afterward to talk about war crimes, compassion, and solidarity. Speakers: Lisa Weeda – Dutch writer of Ukrainian origin, author of literary programs, screenwriter, and VR director. Florian Jacobs – Dutch writer, director of the publishing department at the International School of Philosophy. Jaap Scholten – Dutch writer and journalist. Author of a book about his journeys across Ukraine (Three Suitcases of Women’s Clothes and a Sniper). Founder of the charitable organization Defend Ukraine. Manon Uphoff – Dutch author, screenwriter, and artist. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld and president of PEN Ukraine UkraineWorld (ukraineworld.org) is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of the largest Ukrainian media NGOs. Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld. We provide exclusive content for our patrons. You can also support our volunteer trips to the frontlines at PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

Tusk visits Kyiv; France launches "artillery coalition", - Weekly, 15-22 January Jan 24, 2024

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SUPPORT: https://www.patreon.com/ukraineworld --- While Russian occupiers attempt to breach Ukrainian supply lines in Avdiyivka, Ukraine remains on the left bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson oblast, rendering Russian forces unable to dislodge Ukrainian defenders. In addition to frontline developments, the previous week brought encouraging news regarding international support for Ukraine. France plans to increase artillery production of French-made Caesar self-propelled howitzers specifically for Ukraine while also ramping up the quantity of 155mm projectiles Ukraine requires. The Norwegian government has also allocated funds for artillery ammunition. This is our weekly roundup of key events and trends in and around Ukraine. Volodymyr Yermolenko, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, is joined by Anastasiia Herasymchuk, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, and Dariia Synhaievska, analyst and journalist at UkraineWorld, to discuss key events and trends in and around Ukraine over the past week. UkraineWorld (ukraineworld.org) is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of the largest Ukrainian media NGOs. Listen on various podcast platforms (Google, Apple, Spotify etc): li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine Support us at https://www.patreon.com/ukraineworld We provide exclusive content for our patrons. You can also support our volunteer trips to the frontlines at PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

Pascal Bruckner: Europe needs to wake up Jan 17, 2024

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Europe took a sleeping pill in 1989, and needs to wake up to face the challenge of Russian authoritarianism. Does it have the courage to do so? Pascal Bruckner, one of France’s most influential philosophers, came to Kyiv in December and participated in a public discussion at PEN Ukraine on December 7th. This episode is the recording of this conversation. This episode is part of our series "Thinking in Dark Times" Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld and president of PEN Ukraine UkraineWorld (ukraineworld.org) is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of the largest Ukrainian media NGOs. Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld. We provide exclusive content for our patrons. FULL VERSION of this episode (with Q&A session) is available for our patrons https://www.patreon.com/posts/pascal-bruckner-96674503 You can also support our volunteer trips to the frontlines at PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com. Listen: li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine --- Key topics: - How Russia has fallen into totalitarianism - Why the West represents something new in the history of civilization - The problem of the West is the loss of faith in itself - Europe and its colonialism: a critical analysis - Russian colonialism today - The problem of the West’s «tyranny of guilt» - «We have done horrible things but we also invented remedies to cure them» - On heroes and victims. Why today everybody wants to be a victim - Victim story and warrior story in Ukraine - Why the idea of fight is lacking in Europe - Why the consumer’s attitude to the Russian invasion is wrong - How overprotection decreases responsibility - Why did Europe take a strong sleeping pill in 1989 and needs to wake up

Ukraine and the UK signed a historic Security Agreement - Weekly, 8-15 January Jan 15, 2024

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Over the past week, Russia has been attempting to establish a 15-kilometre "buffer zone" in Kharkiv oblast, while the Ukrainian Armed Forces managed to launch a partial counter-offensive and recapture several positions occupied by the Russians near Kupyansk. Along with frontline developments, this episode focuses on the main achievements of the Security Agreement with the UK, delivered by “the representative of the oldest parliament to the most courageous parliament.” This is our weekly roundup of key events and trends in and around Ukraine. Volodymyr Yermolenko, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, is joined by Anastasiia Herasymchuk and Dariia Synhaievska, analyst and journalist at UkraineWorld, to discuss key events and trends in and around Ukraine over the past week. UkraineWorld (ukraineworld.org) is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of the largest Ukrainian media NGOs. Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld. We provide exclusive content for our patrons. You can also support our volunteer trips to the frontlines at PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com. Listen on various podcast platforms (Google, Apple, Spotify etc): li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine

What should we know about Ukraine’s East? - with Kateryna Zarembo Jan 09, 2024

Show notes

Why is the Soviet and the “Russian” story about Ukraine’s East misleading? Why is the concept of “Donbas” problematic? How are the eastern regions of Ukraine inscribed into the Ukrainian political and cultural history, as well as the history of Europe? The Explaining Ukraine podcast invites Kateryna Zarembo, a Ukrainian scholar and writer of the recent book Skhid Ukrainskoho Sontsia (The Rise of the Ukrainian Sun). The book tells the story of Ukraine’s east and was shortlisted for BBC Ukraine's Best Essays Book prize, as well as the Shevelyov Prize for the best essay book in Ukraine. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld and president of PEN Ukraine UkraineWorld (ukraineworld.org) is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of the largest Ukrainian media NGOs. Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld. We provide exclusive content for our patrons. You can also support our volunteer trips to the frontlines at PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

Russia’s massive aerial attacks kill civilians in Ukrainian cities - Weekly, 1-7 January Jan 08, 2024

Show notes

As the world celebrated the winter holidays, Russia launched its most intense missile attack on Ukrainian cities since the start of the full-scale invasion, killing and wounding hundreds. Now, similar attacks of this level are occurring on a regular basis. However, the last week was marked by a long-awaited event: Ukraine managed to bring home 230 prisoners of war from Russian captivity. It has been the first POW swap since August 2023 and one of the largest to date. This is our weekly roundup of key events and trends in and around Ukraine. Volodymyr Yermolenko, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, is joined by Anastasiia Herasymchuk and Dariia Synhaievska, analysts and journalists at UkraineWorld, to discuss key events and trends in and around Ukraine over the past week. UkraineWorld (ukraineworld.org) is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of the largest Ukrainian media NGOs. Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld We provide exclusive content for our patrons. You can also support our volunteer trips to the frontlines at PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

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