What's wrong with Russia? How can we understand this cruel and inhumane attack on Ukraine targeting civilians, hospitals, maternity houses? Why is Russia de-humanizing not only Ukrainians but its own citizens? A philosophical talk between Ukrainain philosophers Vakhtang Kebuladze and Volodymyr Yermolenko (chief editor of UkraineWorld.org). Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld

Ep. № 78: What's wrong with Russia?

The whole world is looking at atrocities of Russian army in Kyiv suburbs: Bucha, Irpin’, Hostomel, villages on the Zhytomyr route and others. We try to explain why these atrocities could have happened and how this genocide has been made possible. Photos: https://twitter.com/ukraine_world/status/1510694608166129665 -- We continue our “Explaining Ukraine” podcast. Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and journalist, analytics director at Internews Ukraine, and Tetyana Ogarkova, Ukrainian scholar and journalist who is in charge of international outreach at the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre. The “Explaining Ukraine” podcast is a product by UkraineWorld.org. Support us at patreon.com/ukraineworld.

Ep. № 88: Bucha Massacre

Timothy Snyder came to Kharkiv on September 8th, 2024, despite regular strikes on the city by Russian bombs, missiles, and drones. Our conversation was focused on freedom and values, which are the key topics of his latest book, "On Freedom", published on September 17th. 
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/460254/on-freedom-by-snyder-timothy/9781847928054

Kharkiv is Ukraine’s second-largest city, located some 40 kilometers from the Russian border. The city is hit almost daily by Russian glide bombs, missiles, and drones, mostly hitting civilian buildings and causing casualties among civilians. Despite this, Kharkiv remains one of the key centers of Ukrainian cultural life. 

Our conversation took place in an underground shelter, to ensure safety against possible Russian attacks. For safety reasons, the audience was carefully selected by invitation, without public announcements. Despite the dangers, about a hundred Kharkiv artists, writers, journalists, students, and university instructors came, with many of them contributing questions. 

The cooperation of several organizations made this meeting happen:  UkraineWorld (Internews Ukraine), the Kharkiv Literature Museum, Kharkiv Media Hub, PEN Ukraine, Art Area, and the Public Interest Journalism Lab.  

The meeting was moderated by Volodymyr Yermolenko, chief editor of UkraineWorld and president of PEN Ukraine. 

Listen on various platforms: li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine 

This is an English-only version of this conversation. Watch it in English AND Ukrainian here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A37SHxcCYS0

Ця версія розмови - англійською. Подивитися і послухати її англійською з УКРАЇНСЬКИМ перекладом можна тут: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A37SHxcCYS0

UkraineWorld is a multi-lingual media about Ukraine brought to you by Internews Ukraine. 

Other conversations with Timothy Snyder by UkraineWorld: 

Timothy Snyder: Freedom as a Value and a Task - a Talk in Kyiv 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LkXsW14qJQ&t=722s

Timothy Snyder: Ukraine, the War, and the Plurality of Values 
https://youtu.be/BHksNrj7elQ?si=YhU-S4QbSsFrm7Pc

Timothy Snyder, Marci Shore, and Volodymyr Yermolenko at Yale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRRduBjkdxw&t=933s

Support our work: patreon.com/ukraineworld

Support our volunteer trips to the warzones on PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com

Timothy Snyder in Kharkiv: A Conversation about Freedom - with Volodymyr Yermolenko

Timothy Snyder came to Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, to present his book "On Freedom".

We have had several conversations about the ideas of this book before (in Kyiv and Kharkiv), and you can find links to the podcast episodes featuring these discussions in the description.

However, this was the first time we talked about this book after its publication.
We recorded this conversation on February 9, 2025, at the Sense bookstore on Khreshchatyk Street, in the heart of the Ukrainian capital, very close to Maidan.

Several hundred people attended, with many staying despite the lack of available seats. Most of them were young.

This demonstrates how important reading and critical thinking are for Ukrainians today.

Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko – Ukrainian philosopher, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, and the president of PEN Ukraine.

The Ukrainian translation of this book was done by Choven Publishing House (translator: Halyna Herasym), with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine.

UkraineWorld (ukraineworld.org) is a multilingual media about Ukraine produced by Internews Ukraine, one of the country’s largest media NGOs.

Listen on various platforms: li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine

Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/ukraineworld – we offer exclusive content for our patrons.

You can also support our volunteer trips to the front lines via PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

Other conversations with Timothy Snyder:

Kyiv, September 2022
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHksNrj7elQ&t=10s
https://soundcloud.com/user-579586558/ep-144

Kyiv, September 2023
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LkXsW14qJQ&t=724s
https://soundcloud.com/user-579586558/ep-258

Kharkiv, September 2024
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR0bqQy5gzA&t=9s
https://soundcloud.com/user-579586558/snyder-kharkiv

--

Contents:
01:54 - «I feel in Ukraine better than in most other places»
02:44 - being a historian who wrote a philosophy book
07:17 - What can the Ukrainian experience tell other nations about freedom?
12:45 - positive freedom (freedom-to) vs negative freedom (freedom-from). «Freedom isn’t just the absence of evil, but the presence of good»
15:44 - thinking about positive and negative freedom in America and Ukraine
20:30 - freedom and values
24:55 - freedom and sovereignty
32:47 - freedom and unpredictability
41:13 - the metaphor of the bell
45:07 - freedom during military occupation and de-occupation
50:30 - is history repeating itself?
1:00:00 - on social networks
1:11:50 - which values can unite Ukrainians during the war?
01:14:50 - rethinking Ukrainian history from the global perspective

On freedom: Timothy Snyder in Kyiv

What is happening on the frontline of the Russo-Ukrainian war? How is the war changing technologically? What does Ukraine need from its partners? Why is Europe slow and indecisive - and why is it wrong?

The guest of the Explaining Ukraine podcast is Gustav Gressel, an Austrian political and military analyst, former Senior Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations and currently a Researcher at the National Defence Academy Vienna

Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher, the chief editor of UkraineWorld and the 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 https://www.patreon.com/ukraineworld. We need your support now, because our media is more and more relying on crowdfunding. 

You can also support our volunteer trips to the front lines at PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

Key trends on the frontline - with Gustav Gressel

Feelings inside and outside Ukraine are different. Outside, most people think Ukraine is doomed. Inside, most believe Ukraine will stand and never give up. I share the inside view, as does my guest today—a very active member of the Ukrainian parliament.

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

My guest today is Dmytro Natalukha, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, and the chairman of the economics affairs committee. 

Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, a multilingual media outlet about Ukraine.

UkraineWorld is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of Ukraine's largest media NGOs.

You can support our work at https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld. We really need your support now because our media is increasingly relying on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to the frontline areas, where we help both soldiers and civilians - bringing mostly cars for soldiers and books for civilians. You can support our trips at PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com

Ukraine will not give up - with Dmytro Natalukha, a Ukrainian MP

The humiliation of civilians is one of the widespread tactics of the Russian army. It uses starvation and deprivation as a war technique, and shells civilian targets when there are no military facilities around.

We are discussing this issue with Catriona Murdoch, Vice-President of Global Rights Compliance. Catriona is an international criminal and human rights expert with over 13 years of experience. She leads the Starvation Portfolio at Global Rights Compliance, a foundation comprised of international lawyers and development experts with a mission to achieve justice through the innovative application of international law.

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

Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, a multilingual media outlet about Ukraine.
UkraineWorld is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of Ukraine's largest media NGOs.

You can support our work at www.patreon.com/ukraineworld. We really need your support now because our media is increasingly relying on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to the frontline areas, where we help both soldiers and civilians - bringing mostly cars for soldiers and books for civilians. You can support our trips at PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

This episode is made with support from the International Renaissance Foundation

Russians make ordinary people suffer - with Catriona Murdoch

War photography is not just about capturing destruction—it is about witnessing history, shaping narratives, and conveying human resilience. What motivates a photographer to enter a war zone, and how does this experience transform their perception of the reality? 

The guest of the Explaining Ukraine podcast is Jérôme Barbosa, an independent photographer who has ventured into Ukraine during wartime. 

Host: Daria Synhaievska, an analyst and journalist at UkraineWorld.

UkraineWorld is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of the largest Ukrainian media NGOs.

Listen on various platforms: 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.

This episode is made with support from the International Renaissance Foundation

Looking at war through photography - with Jérôme Barbosa

Let's explore the Ukrainian intellectual tradition. What recurring ideas can be found in Ukrainian philosophy, literature, and historiography? What are the key topics of ongoing debates in these fields? 

Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher and the chief editor of UkraineWorld, the president of PEN Ukraine, and Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian literary scholar, and author of the French-language podcast "L’Ukraine face a la guerre" by the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre. Both are lecturers at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the oldest Ukrainian university. 

This episode is made in partnership with Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and project Heritage Ukraine supported by the European Union’s Erasmus programme 

--

UkraineWorld is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of Ukraine's largest media NGOs.

We greatly appreciate your support for our work at https://www.patreon.com/ukraineworld 

Your contribution is crucial as our media increasingly depends on crowdfunding.

Additionally, you can also support our volunteer trips to the front line areas where we provide aid to both soldiers and civilians. We bring essential supplies such as cars for soldiers and books for civilians. You can support our trips by donating through PayPal at ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

This episode is made in partnership with Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and under the framework of the project HER-UKR: Challenges and opportunities for EU heritage diplomacy in Ukraine, co-funded by the EU within the ERASMUS+ Jean Monnet Policy Debate action.

Ukrainian intellectual tradition: key traits

How can Ukraine adapt to the new world that has emerged? Has America ceased to be its key partner? Is Europe ready to step in, and what does it need to do? Where else can Ukraine find its partners?

Our guest is Dmytro Kuleba, a prominent Ukrainian diplomat and intellectual who served as Ukraine’s foreign minister from 2020 to 2024.

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

Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, a multilingual media outlet focused on Ukraine.

UkraineWorld is run by Internews Ukraine, one of Ukraine's largest media NGOs.

You can support our work at https://www.patreon.com/ukraineworld. Your support is crucial as our media increasingly relies on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to the front-line areas, where we provide assistance to both soldiers and civilians - mainly by bringing cars for soldiers and books for civilians. You can support our trips via PayPal at ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

This is podcast is made with support from the International Renaissance Foundation. 

How Ukraine can survive in the world today - with Dmytro Kuleba

The Russian and Soviet imperial narratives tried to persuade us that Ukrainian culture is provincial. It is not. It is very global and is enshrined in many interesting topics of the wider world. In this episode, we delve into these trajectories of ideas. 

Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, the president of PEN Ukraine, and Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian literary scholar, and author of the French-language podcast “L’Ukraine face a la guerre” by the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre. Both are lecturers at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the oldest Ukrainian university. 

This episode is made in partnership with Kyiv Mohyla Academy and project “Heritage Ukraine” supported by the European Union’s Erasmus programme

We greatly appreciate your support for our work at https://www.patreon.com/ukraineworld. Your contribution is crucial as our media increasingly depends on crowdfunding.

Additionally, you can also support our volunteer trips to the front line areas where we provide aid to both soldiers and civilians. We bring essential supplies such as cars for soldiers and books for civilians. You can support our trips by donating through PayPal at ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

This episode is made in partnership with Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and under the framework of the project HER-UKR: Challenges and opportunities for EU heritage diplomacy in Ukraine, co-funded by the EU within the ERASMUS+ Jean Monnet Policy Debate action.

The global dimension of Ukrainian culture

Ivan Mazepa is a renowned Ukrainian leader who made significant contributions to the flourishing of Ukrainian culture and the Cossack state in the late 17th century. Because of his desire for Ukraine's freedom from Muscovy, Mazepa aligned himself with the Swedish king Charles XII in a war against the Russian tsar Peter I, ultimately losing the decisive battle near Poltava in seventeen o nine

However, in the 19th century, Mazepa became a prominent cultural figure. George Gordon Byron, Victor Hugo, Juliusz Słowacki, Franz Liszt, and Eugène Delacroix created poems, musical compositions, and paintings depicting him as a young man, a political and sexual rebel. This portrayal of Mazepa gained popularity globally, reaching as far as South Africa and the United States.

We delved into this story with Tony Voss, a South African university professor, Professor Emeritus and research associate of the University of Kwazulu-Natal, Durban, and Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa

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

Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, a multilingual media outlet focused on Ukraine.

UkraineWorld is run by Internews Ukraine, one of Ukraine's largest media NGOs.

You can support our work at www.patreon.com/ukraineworld. Your support is crucial as our media increasingly relies on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to the front-line areas, where we provide assistance to both soldiers and civilians - mainly by bringing cars for soldiers and books for civilians. You can support our trips via PayPal at ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

This article was produced in partnership with the Ukrainian Institute, Ukraine's major cultural and public diplomacy institution, and NGO Cultural Diplomacy Foundation.

How Hetman Mazepa Became a Global Cultural Figure

Which 20th-century ideas should we carry with us into the 21st century? And which of them have become obsolete? 

We discuss these topics during a live event with David Rieff, a prominent American writer and journalist. The discussion was held on March 1st at PEN Ukraine space in Kyiv, and was organized by UkraineWorld, PEN Ukraine and Thinking in Dark Times podcast. 

Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher and the chief editor of UkraineWorld, the president of PEN Ukraine, and Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian literary scholar, and author of the French-language podcast L’Ukraine face a la guerre by the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre. Both are lecturers at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the oldest Ukrainian university. 

Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, a multilingual media outlet focused on Ukraine.

UkraineWorld is run by Internews Ukraine, one of Ukraine's largest media NGOs.

You can support our work at www.patreon.com/ukraineworld. Your support is crucial as our media increasingly relies on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to the front-line areas, where we provide assistance to both soldiers and civilians - mainly by bringing cars for soldiers and books for civilians. You can support our trips via PayPal at ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.


Rethinking the 20th-century intellectual legacy - with David Rieff

You probably all know the Black Square, a famous avant-garde painting that has radically changed the way we think about art.

You’ve probably heard that this painting was created by Kazymyr Malevych, a “Russian painter”. But he was not Russian. He comes from Polish and Ukrainian descent, and the Ukrainian sources of his creativity and thinking are huge.

In this episode, we will try to explain why it is important to look at Malevych as a Ukrainian artist.

Our guest is Tetyana Filevska, a Ukrainian art historian, the creative director of the Ukrainian Institute, the country’s major cultural diplomacy institution.

She is interviewed by Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian literary scholar and journalist, an expert at the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre, and a lecturer at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

"Explaining Ukraine" is a podcast by UkraineWorld, a multilingual media outlet focused on Ukraine.

UkraineWorld is run by Internews Ukraine, one of Ukraine's largest media NGOs.

You can support our work at patreon.com/ukraineworld. Your support is crucial as our media increasingly relies on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to the front-line areas, where we provide assistance to both soldiers and civilians - mainly by bringing cars for soldiers and books for civilians. You can support our trips via PayPal at ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

This episode is made in partnership with Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and under the framework of the project HER-UKR: Challenges and opportunities for EU heritage diplomacy in Ukraine, co-funded by the EU within the ERASMUS+ Jean Monnet Policy Debate action.

Malevych: the Ukrainian avant-garde genius

They have already become our friends: Jaap Scholten and a group of courageous Dutch writers, photographers, artists, and rugby players who come regularly to Ukraine to bring vehicles to the Ukrainian soldiers.

We have already had conversations with some of them: 

https://soundcloud.com/user-579586558/ep-287 

https://soundcloud.com/user-579586558/ep-270

This time, we held a big event at PEN Ukraine and UkraineWorld to talk about inspiration, courage, fatigue, freedom, and the need to act.

Guests:

Tommy Wieringa, an acclaimed Dutch writer and ambassador of ProtectUkraine.nl, joined five of the most recent convoys of Protect Ukraine to Izyum and beyond. 

Maurits Chabot, a writer and historian, co-author of the book for the National Book Week of the Netherlands 2025, joined Protect Ukraine on two convoys. 

Jaap Scholten, an author and anthropologist, founder of ProtectUkraine.nl. 

Eddy van Wessel, a prize-winning and internationally respected photographer, has independently traveled to Ukraine since the 2022 full-scale invasion, documenting the ongoing war.

Moderator: Anastasiia Herasymchuk, Deputy Editor-in-Chief at UkraineWorld.

ProtectUkraine.nl is a Dutch NGO focused on supporting the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the frontlines with defensive materials.

"Explaining Ukraine" is a podcast by UkraineWorld, a multilingual media outlet about Ukraine.

UkraineWorld is brought to you by Internews Ukraine, one of Ukraine's largest media NGOs.

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

We really need your support now because our media is increasingly relying on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to the front-line areas, where we help both soldiers and civilians, bringing mostly cars for soldiers and books for civilians. You can support our trips at PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

This episode is a recording of an event held by UkraineWorld and PEN Ukraine on January 30th, 2025

"Inspired by Ukrainians": these Dutch writers bring vehicles to the frontline

Ukrainian modernist literature is one of the golden ages of Ukrainian cultural history. In this episode, we’ll explore why that is—and why the questions raised during this period, spanning the late 19th and early 20th centuries, remain deeply relevant today.

"Explaining Ukraine" is a podcast by UkraineWorld, a multilingual media outlet focused on Ukraine.

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

Guest: Rostyslav Semkiv, a Ukrainian literary scholar, associate professor at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, and director of the publishing house Smoloskyp. 

Writers mentioned in this podcast: Modernists - Lesya Ukrainka, Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky, Olha Kobylianska, Vasyl Stefanyk. Others: Ivan Franko, Marko Vovchok, Olena Pchilka, Vasyl Stus, Serhiy Zhadan, Kateryna Kalytko and others. 

UkraineWorld is run by Internews Ukraine, one of Ukraine's largest media NGOs.

You can support our work at https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld. Your support is crucial as our media increasingly relies on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to the front-line areas, where we provide assistance to both soldiers and civilians - mainly by bringing cars for soldiers and books for civilians. You can support our trips via PayPal at ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

This episode is made in partnership with Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and under the framework of the project HER-UKR: Challenges and opportunities for EU heritage diplomacy in Ukraine, co-funded by the EU within the ERASMUS+ Jean Monnet Policy Debate action.

The Surprising Brilliance of Ukrainian Modernist Literature - with Rostyslav Semkiv

We have a lot to share with each other. We won’t agree on everything. Often, what is “good” for one may be “bad” for the other.

And yet, this conversation is necessary — and it’s interesting. A perspective from Africa on Ukraine can offer a fresh viewpoint. Likewise, a Ukrainian perspective on Africa can do the same. At the very least, let’s try.

Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and the chief editor of UkraineWorld.

Our guest today is Simon Allison, co-founder of The Continent (https://www.thecontinent.org/), Africa’s most widely distributed newspaper. 

UkraineWorld is run by Internews Ukraine, one of the country’s largest media NGOs.

You can support our work at https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld. Your support is crucial, as our media increasingly relies on crowdfunding.

You can also help fund our volunteer trips to front-line areas, where we assist both soldiers and civilians — mainly by delivering vehicles for soldiers and books for civilians. Donations can be made via PayPal at ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

This episode was produced in partnership with the Ukrainian Institute, Ukraine's major cultural and public diplomacy institution, and NGO Cultural Diplomacy Foundation.

Looking at Ukraine from Africa and back - with Simon Allison

Margaret Atwood is perhaps one of the greatest living writers today. Her novel "The Handmaid’s Tale" and its continuation, "The Testaments," are seen by many as prophetic.

This is a conversation about dangers and hopes, about human nature, the classics, and the challenges of dark times.

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

"Thinking in Dark Times" is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine based in Kyiv.

You can support our work at https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld. Our media is increasingly relying on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to the front-line areas of the Russian war against Ukraine via PayPal at ukraine.resisting@gmail.com. We are trying to help both soldiers and civilians.

Margaret Atwood on tyrannies and the fragility of freedom

Why is Russia using World War II as its major historical anchor? Why is the end of World War II seen in Ukraine as a victory of one evil over another, rather than a victory of good over evil? What was Ukraine’s role in World War II? 

Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and writer, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, president of PEN Ukraine.

You can support our work at https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld. 
Your support is crucial as our media increasingly relies on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to the front-line areas, where we provide assistance to both soldiers and civilians - mainly by bringing cars for soldiers and books for civilians. You can support our trips via PayPal at ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

More information: 

Historian Serhii Plokhii: World War II and the Russian invasion of Ukraine - Vol. 1

https://ukraineworld.org/en/podcasts/ep-223

What Russian Propaganda Says about Ukraine’s History? Analysis and Deconstruction

https://ukraineworld.org/en/articles/books/re-vision-of-history-book


Ukraine, Russia, and World War II

Do dictators rule by death and nihilism? Do they want to make us powerless - and do they succeed? Is today’s crisis also our chance? 

This is an online conversation between Polish philosopher Krzysztof Czyzewski, American historian Marci Shore, Georgian writer Iva Pezuashvili, and Ukrainian philosopher Volodymyr Yermolenko. 

The event was held under the aegis of Dilemma project implemented by the Institute for Central European Strategy with the support of the European Commission 

Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine. 
 
You can support our work at https://www.patreon.com/ukraineworld. Your support is crucial as our media increasingly relies on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to the front-line areas, where we provide assistance to both soldiers and civilians - mainly by bringing cars for soldiers and books for civilians. You can support our trips via PayPal at ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.


What matters during dark times? | Czyżewski, Shore, Pezuashvili, Yermolenko

We should look at wars not to build hierarchies but to understand something important about humans. Where does the violence come from? How to prevent it? What to do when it is already there? How can we defend ourselves and others? 

For this episode, we invited an award-winning writer V.V. Ganeshananthan. Her novel "Brotherless Night" tells a story of the civil war in Sri Lanka that has lasted for more than 25 years. The book won Women’s Prize for Fiction 2024 and the Asian Prize for Fiction in 2023. In this conversation we tried to connect war experiences in Sri Lanka and Ukraine. 

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

Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, a media about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine, and based in Kyiv. 

You can support our work at https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld. Your support is crucial as our media increasingly relies on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to the front-line areas, where we provide assistance to both soldiers and civilians - mainly by bringing cars for soldiers and books for civilians. You can support our trips via PayPal at ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

This episode was produced in partnership with the Ukrainian Institute, Ukraine's major cultural and public diplomacy institution, and NGO Cultural Diplomacy Foundation.

"Brotherless Night": https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/453754/brotherless-night-by-ganeshananthan-v-v/9780241997673

Ukraine, Sri Lanka, and the War Experience - with V. V. Ganeshananthan

What lessons can we draw from the Ukrainian experience? Why is Ukraine not only a place of suffering and fight, but also a place of thinking and creation? Why is the cultural renaissance so strong during the war? What does it mean to think in dark times?

Lecture by Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, and the president of PEN Ukraine, at the Institute for Human Sciences (Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen) in Vienna on May 6th, 2025. 

Moderator and host: Ludger Hagedorn, Permanent Fellow at IWM. 

"Thinking in Dark Times" is a podcast series of UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine.

You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld. Your support is crucial for us as we rely a lot on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to the frontline areas in Ukraine, where we deliver support for both soldiers and civilians. You can donate via PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com


Thinking in Dark Times. Lessons from Ukraine. - Volodymyr Yermolenko at IWM in Vienna

In this episode, we will explore the life and works of Oleksandra Ekster, a prominent Ukrainian avant-garde artist of the early 20th century. We will discuss cubofuturism, the cultural identity of Kyiv, the role of women in Ukrainian art, and the connections between Ukrainian and European avant-garde art.

Our guest for this episode is Anna Lodygina, a Ukrainian art historian and journalist. She recently published a book in Ukrainian titled "Stories of Ukrainian Artists: Oleksandra Ekster." This conversation is moderated by Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian literary scholar and journalist, author of the podcast "L’Ukraine face a la guerre" (Ukraine facing the war) in French, and head of international outreach at Ukraine Crisis Media Centre.

"Explaining Ukraine" is a podcast of UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine.

You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld. 
Your support is crucial for us as we rely heavily on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to the frontline areas in Ukraine, where we provide support for both soldiers and civilians. You can donate via PayPal, ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

This episode is made in partnership with Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and under the framework of the project HER-UKR: Challenges and opportunities for EU heritage diplomacy in Ukraine, co-funded by the EU within the ERASMUS+ Jean Monnet Policy Debate action.


Exploring Ukrainian avant-garde: Oleksandra Ekster

Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion has once again brought to light an old topic: the cruelty of Russian imperialism—both past and present.

In this episode, we explore the major historical periods and defining features of Russian imperialism since the 16th century. This conversation will help you understand that Ukraine’s experience is one of the most visible examples, but by no means the only one.

Our guest today is Donnacha Ó Beacháin, an Irish political scientist, professor at Dublin City University, and author of the recent book "Unfinished Empire: Russian Imperialism in Ukraine and the Near Abroad" (https://cup.columbia.edu/book/unfinished-empire/9781788218016/)

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

Explaining Ukraine podcast is produced by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine, run by Internews Ukraine.


You can support our work at: https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld.
Your support is crucial, as we rely heavily on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to frontline areas in Ukraine, where we provide assistance to both soldiers and civilians. Donations are welcome via PayPal at: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

Related episodes: 

Time to rethink Russian cultural imperialism - with Vitaly Chernetsky
https://ukraineworld.org/en/podcasts//ep-305

5 things to know about Russian imperialism 
https://ukraineworld.org/en/podcasts//ep-201

Rethinking Imperialism 
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7EDqaafPqm5DnEtsw8sswu


A Brief History of Russian Imperialism – with Donnacha Ó Beacháin

We had a conversation with Anne Applebaum a few months ago on this podcast about her book "Autocracy, Inc".—be sure to check it out: https://ukraineworld.org/en/podcasts//ep-332

The current episode features a public conversation on similar themes: the crisis of democracy, the rise of new autocracies, Trump’s pro-Russian stance, and Russia’s war against Ukraine.
It was recorded as a keynote discussion at the Lviv Media Forum—one of Ukraine’s major media events—in May 2025 (https://lvivmediaforum.com/en)

We’re now publishing it as part of our Thinking in Dark Times series at UkraineWorld.

Anne Applebaum is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and political analyst.

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

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

Your support is vital, as we rely heavily on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to frontline areas in Ukraine, where we provide aid to both soldiers and civilians. Donations are welcome via PayPal at: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.


Anne Applebaum on Trump, Ukraine, and Russia

Does Ukraine have freedom of speech during the war? How are the media surviving under such harsh conditions? How do media perspectives within Ukraine compare to those from outside the country?

Guest: Ola Myrovych, CEO of the Lviv Media Forum—one of the largest media events in Ukraine. We’re recording this conversation during the forum itself, in May 2025, in Lviv.

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

The “Explaining Ukraine” podcast is produced by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine, run by Internews Ukraine.

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

Your support is crucial, as we rely heavily on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to frontline areas in Ukraine, where we provide assistance to both soldiers and civilians. Donations are welcome via PayPal at: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

Ukrainian Media During the War – with Ola Myrovych

Democracy is fragile today. Yet it is not confined to a single place, a specific country, or a particular political system. The democratic promise remains far from fully realized. Still, we can find hope in the idea that when democracy retreats in one part of the world, it may grow stronger in another.

This is “Thinking in Dark Times”, a podcast series by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet focused on Ukraine.

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

Guest: Aman Sethi, an Indian journalist and the editor-in-chief of openDemocracy—an independent international media platform based in London.
We are recording this conversation during the Lviv Media Forum in May 2025, in Lviv, a city in western Ukraine.

You can support our work at: https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld.
Your support is vital, as we rely heavily on crowdfunding.

You can also contribute to our volunteer missions to frontline areas in Ukraine, where we deliver aid to both soldiers and civilians. Donations are welcome via PayPal at: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

This episode is produced in partnership with the Ukrainian Institute, the country’s leading institution for cultural diplomacy.


Ukraine and Democracy in the Global World – with Aman Sethi

Terrell Jermaine Starr is a Black American journalist who spends much of his time in Ukraine. He knows the country intimately.

He also recognizes the striking parallels between the experiences of Ukrainians and Black Americans in the United States. For centuries, both groups have endured systemic violence and humiliation—sometimes overt, sometimes hidden—that have pushed them into subordinate roles within societies dominated by others.

In this episode, we explore these shared struggles and work toward fostering a deeper understanding between the two communities.

Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine. 

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

We are recording this conversation during the Lviv Media Forum, in May 2025 in Lviv, the Western part of Ukraine.

You can support our work at: https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld.
Your support is vital, as we rely heavily on crowdfunding.

You can also support our volunteer trips to frontline areas in Ukraine, where we provide aid to both soldiers and civilians. Donations are welcome via PayPal at: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.


Black Americans and Ukrainians: Unexpected Parallels – with Terrell Jermaine Starr

We need a fresh perspective on propaganda. The old strategies for combating misinformation are no longer effective. Simply offering fact-checks isn’t enough—those ensnared by propaganda aren’t searching for facts. They’re searching for something deeper: identity, belonging, and meaning.

This is the central argument of a new book by Peter Pomerantsev, a renowned scholar of propaganda and information warfare. "How to Win an Information War" tells the story of British journalist Sefton Delmer, who developed innovative techniques to counter Nazi propaganda during World War II. Peter explores Delmer’s legacy in hopes of uncovering lessons for today. Perhaps we, too, can learn something from both of them.

Book: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/peter-pomerantsev/how-to-win-an-information-war/9781541774728/

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

***

UkraineWorld is run by Internews Ukraine, one of the country’s leading media NGOs. 

You can support our work at https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld. Your support is crucial, as we increasingly rely on crowdfunding. Even a small monthly contribution of $5 or $10 can make a meaningful difference.

You can also help fund our regular volunteer missions to Ukraine’s front-line areas, where we deliver aid to both soldiers and civilians—primarily by providing vehicles for the military and books for local communities. To support these efforts, donations can be made via PayPal at ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

***

The podcast episode is created by Internews Ukraine as part of the project “Strengthening Truth, Transparency and Democracy to Counter Disinformation”, supported by the Government of Canada.

***

CONTENTS: 

00:00:00 — What if fact-checks don’t work anymore?
0:01:52 — He, who fooled Hitler. Meet Sefton Delmer
00:05:28 — Why did we forget those who understand what propaganda is?
00:07:05 — Why propaganda keeps coming back
00:09:59 — Why did the Nazis win those who lost their identity?
00:11:42 — Are you wearing the mask or is it glued to your face? 
00:13:57 — Think you're immune? That’s when propaganda hits
00:16:29 — To beat propaganda, you have to be vulnerable to it
00:18:55 — The real battle isn’t between freedom and unfreedom, but about what kind of “us” we build? 
00:22:50 —  Delmer’s radio war 
00:25:53 — Weaponizing corruption: Delmer’s strategy to weaken Nazi loyalty
00:30:41 — “We know you better than they do”
00:33:28 — Tuning in = waking up: breaking the Nazi spell with masquerade
00:35:38 — What makes Kremlin elites panic? Not war - but losing control
00:39:39 — How to break Russian support for war? 
00:44:24 — Forget regime change - exploit fear of losing grip
00:47:44 — Angry? Frustrated? That’s where good media begins
00:50:02 — Do I want to die for this? The question Delmer planted in Nazi minds
00:51:00 — Propaganda, trauma, and the fight for independent thought



How to win an information war? - with Peter Pomerantsev

Some might argue that the concept of evil is outdated in our relativistic age. And yet—how can we speak of war crimes, cruelty, or the neglect of human dignity without invoking the word evil? Perhaps it’s time to take it seriously again, to revisit the thinkers who have grappled with its meaning.

One of them, of course, is Hannah Arendt.

This is a conversation about Hannah Arendt and the concept of evil, which took place in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, on June 1st, at the Kyiv Book Arsenal—one of the country’s major literary events. Despite the ongoing war, the fair was full of people.

My guest was Marci Shore, an American intellectual, historian, and university professor. She specializes in 20th-century European intellectual history, with a particular focus on Hannah Arendt. This year, Marci co-curated the Kyiv Book Arsenal’s focus topic, alongside Oksana Forostyna.

My name is Volodymyr Yermolenko. I’m a Ukrainian philosopher, the editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and the president of PEN Ukraine.

UkraineWorld is an English language media outlet about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine, one of the country’s leading media NGOs.

***

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

Your support is vital, as we increasingly rely on crowdfunding. Even a small monthly donation can make a big difference.

You can also help fund our regular volunteer trips to Ukraine’s front-line areas, where we provide aid to both soldiers and civilians—mainly by delivering vehicles for the military and books for local communities. To support these efforts, you can donate via PayPal at ukraine.resisting@gmail.com.

***

Contents:

00:00 Intro
01:18 Support our work
04:44 Why is Hannah Arendt essential to understanding the 20th and 21st centuries?
06:16 What is Hannah Arendt's concept of 'radical evil'?
07:48 How are people made superfluous?
10:12 How has World War II shaped Arendt’s thought?
17:17 From “radical evil” to the “banality of evil”: connecting Arendt’s key concepts.
26:34 Marci Shore on the current situation in America
30:46 Thoughts on human dignity
32:14 Is the idea that 'everyone is replaceable' starting to repeat itself?
34:49 Why Sartre’s idea of “nothingness” might be dangerous?
42:14 Hannah Arendt: vita activa versus vita contemplativa
50:15 Outro

Hannah Arendt on evil: what can we learn from her today? - with Marci Shore

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

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