For our stranded astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.

We’ll keep a light for you
Virginia rings at night for you
New York is shining bright for you
And we’ll keep a light for you

Beneath your speeding star
Been a strange old year so far
Are dolphins thinking less of who we are?
We’re billions all alone inside our car
Still keeping a light for you

A woman on the telephone
Wondered if you miss your home
I don’t know why she wouldn’t know
Over in LA I’m missing Glasgow

And we’ll keep a light on your door
I’ve been working on your song a little more
Josie says hello
Now we’re going to the store
It’s time to go, and one thing more
We’ll keep a light on your door

We'll Keep a Light

Don't miss USA Today bestseller Lana Kortchik's upcoming WWII historical novel. Pre-order now! 

 The Philippines, 1941. Rose Williams arrives in Manila on her first assignment as a US Army nurse, enthralled by the new environment and its promise of adventure. Although worlds away from the land she grew up in, Rose feels connected to her father, who worked in the Philippines before he died.

War seems like a distant possibility as Rose takes midnight dips in a warm sea with the other nurses, explores secret corners of the island, and falls in love with a locally stationed US Army officer.

But when Japan bombs Manila, the nurses’ lives change. Torn away from the man she loves, Rose faces constant threat, not only to her life, but from those around her she thought she could trust…

Will Rose and those close to her survive in the turmoil of war?

Readers love Lana Kortchik:
‘Absolutely wonderful! I recommend all Lana’s books, but I believe this one is my favourite and her best yet! TEN STARS!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This book packs a powerful punch… [it] makes your heart soar with every flight, pound in every battle, and break with every loss.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A story I won’t be forgetting any time soon… I highly recommend this book.’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Beautiful novel. Loved the way it is written. The characters and the era are well portrayed, wrapped in the history of WWII.’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Lana Kortchik has a great writing style and the historical elements were everything that I was hoping for.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Angels of War, By Lana Kortchik, Read by Laurel Lefkow

Maksym Butkevych is a prominent Ukrainian human rights defender. Before the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he dedicated his efforts to the protection of people whose rights were violated. 

When Russia launched its war against Ukraine, Maksym joined the Ukrainian army to defend his country.

In June 2022, he was taken prisoner of war by Russia and accused of committing a war crime. The case was entirely fabricated: Russia sought to “balance” the real war crimes committed by the Russian soldiers in Ukraine and prosecuted by Ukrainian courts with invented charges against Ukrainian prisoners of war. Maksym was sentenced to 13 years in prison. He spent almost two and a half years behind bars in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories before being freed in a prisoner exchange in October 2024. He endured beatings, deprivations, and torture, but his spirit remained unbroken.

We met with Maksym in late August 2025. Our conversation turned philosophical—about life and death, freedom and fear, hope and despair.

***

Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine.

UkraineWorld is an English-language media about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine

You can support our work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld

Your contributions are essential — we rely heavily on crowdfunding.

You can also help fund our volunteer trips to frontline areas in Ukraine, where we support both civilians and soldiers.

Donations are welcome via PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com

***

CONTENTS:

00:00 - Intro. Who is Maksym Butkevych
02:23 - Maksym’s recollections of Russian captivity
08:16 - The role of violence in Russian captivity
12:30 - How does the Russian machine distort the law
22:33 - Death and fear as key elements of the Russian violence system
29:07 - Staying yourself in captivity
37:17 - Is it possible to survive in captivity without thinking about love?
45:01 - Outro
45:41 - Support us: https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld

***

The podcast is produced by UkraineWorld with the support of the Askold and Dir Fund as a part of the Strong Civil Society of Ukraine - a Driver towards Reforms and Democracy project, implemented by ISAR Ednannia, funded by Norway and Sweden. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of UkraineWorld and can in no way be taken to reflect the views the Government of Norway, the Government of Sweden and ISAR Ednannia.

Сaptivity, torture, violence, and love - with Maksym Butkevych

Publishers of award-winning fiction and non-fiction audiobooks for adults and children. Listen to exclusive clips from our books and free audioook extracts here on Soundcloud.

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

I'm a singer-songwriter with influences from Paul Simon to Neil Young and more.

New tracks tagged #Prisoners of War