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 the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre. Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld. Support our humanitarian trips: Paypal - ukraine.resisting@gmail.com

Explaining Ukraine

The deep roots of Russia's genocidal war | Ep. 180

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 intellectual history. UkraineWorld is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of the oldest Ukrainian media NGOs. The goal of the series Thinking in Dark Times is to make Ukraine and the current war a focal point of our common reflection about the world’s present, past and future. We try to see the light through and despite the current darkness. Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld. Support our humanitarian trips to the frontline areas: Paypal - ukraine.resisting@gmail.com

Portnov

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

How can history help us understand the Russian invasion of Ukraine? Why can Moscow not even imagine itself without Kyiv? Is Russia an empire in decline? 

The Explaining Ukraine podcast invites Professor Serhii Plokhii, a prominent Ukrainian historian, director of the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute (HURI), and author of numerous books about Ukraine, Russia, and Eastern Europe. His latest book is The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History.

This conversation was held in Kyiv on May 24th, 2024, before Plokhii met with the Ukrainian public at the UkraineWorld Club and PEN 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 Ukraine's largest 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.

Check two other podcasts with Plokhii:

What Makes Ukrainian History Interesting to the World
https://ukraineworld.org/en/podcasts/ep-46-ukrainian-history

World War II and the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
https://ukraineworld.org/en/podcasts/ep-223

Serhii Plokhii on the historical context of the Russo-Ukrainian war

In the flagship episode of the podcast series for the book "Survival as Victory: Ukrainian Women in the Gulag" by Oksana Kis, Naina Misra, and Vlad Nekhoroshykh introduce the first chapter: "The Daily Life of Women in the Gulag in Research and Personal Memoirs." They explore the harsh conditions faced by Ukrainian women imprisoned in the Soviet Gulags from the 1930s until the 1950s, and how these women built communities, maintained hope, and preserved their identities despite unimaginable hardship. This episode introduces the challenges they faced, the effort that went into documenting these experiences, and the importance of remembering and honoring their retellings as part of Ukraine’s historical and cultural legacy.

"Survival as Victory" Podcast — Episode 1

Hosts Naina Misra and Vlad Nekhoroshykh delve into Chapter 2 of Survival as Victory, "Living Conditions in the Prisons and Camps in the 1940s and 1950s," examining the harrowing living conditions faced by prisoners of the Soviet Gulags. Through powerful testimonies from survivors and detailed historical analysis, this episode provides insight into the brutal realities of overcrowded barracks, extreme weather, starvation, disease, and forced labor, highlighting the superhuman resilience, resourcefulness, and solidarity that Ukrainian women utilized to survive.

"Survival as Victory" Podcast — Episode 2

Naina Misra and Vlad Nekhoroshykh discuss Chapter 3 of Survival as Victory, "National Identity and Christian Faith During Imprisonment," examining the ways in which women preserved their Ukrainian identity and Christian faith during their time in the Gulags, and how this served as a form of resistance against Soviet rule. Also discussed are the power of ethnic solidarity, religious practices, and the deep emotional bonds that sustained the women through decades in the prison. Through stories of exchanging secret letters to holding hidden church services, these experiences highlight resilience, inner power, and the enduring human spirit.

"Survival as Victory" Podcast — Episode 3

In the 4th Chapter of Survival as Victory: Ukrainian Women in the Gulag, "Creativity and Free Time," Misra and Nekhoroshykh explore how Ukrainian women used their creativity as a form of resilience and cultural preservation. During their time in the Gulags, the women engaged in forms of artistry, including embroidering, singing, poetry, and theatre, to hold onto their identities, uplift each other, and preserve their mental health. These acts were defiant, even risky, but served as an important way to foster community among the women and maintain the hope that they would one day be free. Through these methods, the women stood fast against the Soviet oppressors and transformed their free time into a space of healing.

"Survival as Victory" Podcast — Episode 4

In Chapter 5 of Survival as Victory, "Humanity and Femininity in Captivity," the HURI Podcast explores the brutal tactics used in Soviet labor camps and how the Ukrainian women were able to face this ordeal. Prisoners were stripped of their identities, reduced to numbers, and subjected to physical and psychological torture. Despite these inhumane conditions, the women developed a unique sisterhood. After their release, many of these women continued to help each other for decades through the lifelong friendships and support networks they had formed. This chapter showcases the prisoners’ determination to preserve not just their lives, but their humanity.

"Survival as Victory" Podcast — Episode 5

Misra and Nekhoroshykh discuss Chapter 6, "Body, Sexuality, and Love" from Survival as Victory. Despite facing violence, hunger, and a consistent violation of their human rights, women used small acts of self-care and compassion to preserve their dignity and resist oppression within the Gulags. Oksana Kis highlights the complex dynamics of intimacy in the camps, which ranged from exploitation by those in power to genuine relationships of those imprisoned, and shows how love can serve as the ultimate drive to survive. Through survivor testimonies and firsthand accounts, this chapter delineates how pure human connection can arise and provide hope even during the darkest of times. 

"Survival as Victory" Podcast — Episode 6

In the final episode, we dive into Chapter 7: Motherhood Behind Bars. Through heart-wrenching survivor testimonies, Misra and Nekhoroshykh explore how women in the Gulags navigated pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood. Stories of mothers separated from their children, babies lost to orphanages, and the physical and emotional toll of raising children in the camps highlight their experiences of loss and resilience. However, maternal love evolved into a new form of resistance, and Kis reframes survival not just as endurance, but the ability to preserve identity, humanity, and hope. This chapter serves as a tribute to these women’s strength and a reminder of how such struggles are faced even today by mothers living in conflict zones, such as those in modern-day Ukraine. Thank you for joining us on this journey through Survival as Victory, a powerful reminder of how resilience, resistance, and everyday acts of courage shaped women's fight to not only survive, but reclaim their humanity among the harsh conditions of the Soviet Gulags.

"Survival as Victory" Podcast — Episode 7

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

Founded in June 1973, the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute (HURI) serves as a focal point for graduate and undergraduate students, fellows, and associates pursuing research in Ukrainian language, literature, and history as well as in anthropology, archaeology, art history, economics, political science, sociology, theology, and other disciplines. 

New tracks tagged #ukrainian history