This episode is about Victoria Amelina, a Ukrainian writer, and our friend, killed by a Russian missile. 

Victoria Amelina, a Ukrainian writer and human rights activist, passed away on July 1st, 2023 after she was severely injured by a Russian missile strike on Kramatorsk, Eastern part of Ukraine, Donetsk region, on June 27th. In this episode we will try to tell you her story. And to explain why she has to be remembered, read and translated all over the world. 

Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher and journalist, the chief editor of UkraineWorld, and Tetyana Ogarkova, head of the international outreach at Ukraine Crisis Media Centre. Invited: Tetyana Teren, executive director at PEN Ukraine, and Olena Huseinova, Ukrainian poet, journalist at Radio Kultura. 

Support the New York Literary Festival founded by Victoria: https://send.monobank.ua/jar/47NC5oddkL

Recording from Victoria’s last performance: Youtube channel “Look, that is the artist”. Original: https://youtu.be/hpcKldIT0Nw

Victoria Amelina. In memoriam

What makes the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church so unique? Why is it such a remarkable attempt to bridge the divide between Eastern and Western Christianity? How can its history help us better understand the history of Europe and of the Christian religion? How has it shaped Ukrainian national identity? And how did it survive the Soviet era, when the authorities sought to eradicate it?

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

Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine 
UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en 

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

Guest: Natalia Shlikhta, a well-known Ukrainian historian and professor at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.


***
SUPPORT: 

You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld  
Your help is crucial, 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 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.


Why the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church is unique - with Natalia Shlikhta

Ukraine has its own tradition of geopolitical thinking — a tradition that reaches deep into the past and continues to shape the country’s strategic imagination today. What are its key traits? Why was it developed more by writers than by statesmen? And how does it relate to Ukraine’s current reflection on its identity?

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

Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine 
UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en 

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

Guest: Danylo Lubkivsky, a Ukrainian diplomat and thinker, deputy foreign minister in 2014, and currently director of the Kyiv Security Forum. 

***
SUPPORT: 
You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld  
Your help is crucial, 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.


Ukrainian geopolitical thought - with Danylo Lubkivsky

Imagine an NGO that has raised over one billion dollars to support the Ukrainian army. Imagine a civil society initiative that purchases armaments and military equipment. Imagine a transparent organisation with an independent board and detailed reporting. This NGO exists — it is called “Povernys Zhyvym”, or “Come Back Alive”. It is one of the largest Ukrainian civil society foundations supporting Ukraine’s defense.

In this episode, we will speak about its work — and about the ways you can help Ukraine.

***
Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media platform about Ukraine, run by Internews Ukraine.
Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine 
UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en 

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

Guest: Kateryna Leshchyshyn, head of the international partnerships at the Come Back Alive foundation.

***
SUPPORT: 
You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld  
Your help is crucial, 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.

***
The podcast episode 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

***
CONTENTS:

00:00 What is Come Back Alive (Povernys Zhyvym)?
02:09 Come Back Alive`s Role: at the crossroads of the military, defence industry, and charity
04:33 Why does Ukraine need charity foundations to win?
07:49 Povernys Zhyvym buys a lot of things: from arms and vehicles to drones and chairs
09:58 Come Back Alive tests and develops new solutions
13:27 Working with foreigners: Challenges and successful stories
16:09 Why foreigners are reluctant to fund military equipment
19:34 Reality of the Ukrainian army: 80-90% of soldiers are former civilians
22:07 Who are the main donors of Come Back Alive?
29:38 Ways to support Ukraine: Spreading information, demonstrations, literature
37:37 Why donors should choose Come Back Alive



How Ukrainians fund their own defense: the story of “Come Back Alive”

In 2025, Ukraine is facing unprecedented pressure from one of its key partners, the United States. The Trump administration has chosen not to act as Ukraine’s ally, but rather as a mediator between Ukraine and Europe on the one hand, and Russia on the other.

This shift has fundamentally changed the geopolitical framework of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Around the world, the language of victory has largely been replaced by the language of peace. Yet under current conditions, “peace” often implies that Ukraine will not regain its occupied territories—and such a peace may, in fact, amount to Ukraine’s defeat.

In this episode, we explain why this is a dangerous path. We also look back at 2025 and summarize its key developments

***
Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine.
Guest: Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian journalist and public intellectual, the head of the international department at the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre, and author of the podcast “L’Ukraine face a la guerre”, “Ukraine facing the war”, in French. 

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

Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine 
UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en 

***
SUPPORT: 
You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld  
Your help is crucial, 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.

***
CONTENTS:

00:00 - Introduction
01:46 - US's shift from ally to mediator in Russia-Ukraine war. The impact of the Trump administration's approach to military aid.
06:13 - Trump and Putin's similar world vision regarding spheres of influence.
07:03 - Key elements of proposed peace plans: territorial concessions, security guarantees, and military withdrawal.
08:38 - Ukraine's public opinion against territorial concessions.
13:55 - The "fog" of peace negotiations occurring amidst ongoing total war and Russia's strategy of buying time.
17:33 - Legal and moral challenges of territorial concessions and skepticism about the legitimacy of peace plan negotiators.
20:48 - The escalation of the war, increased civilian suffering due to infrastructure bombardments, and Ukraine's strategy to target the Russian economy.
25:01 - Ukraine's dilemma in peace talks and Russia's strategy of worsening conditions over time.
29:04 - Donald Trump's political weaknesses and Zelenskyy's strategy
30:57 - The security situation on the front line: the rise of drone warfare, its increasing danger to civilians, and the expanding "kill zone."
39:07 - Ukrainian internal politics: the war against corruption, the role of civil society, and Zelenskyy's responsiveness to public opinion.
46:45 - Concluding remarks and a call for support for UkraineWorld.


Ukraine in 2025: can peace talks succeed?

What can the deep past of Ukrainian lands reveal about the global story of humanity? Six thousand years ago, "mega-sites" flourished in what is now central Ukraine—but can these be considered the world’s first cities? How were they organized without central authorities, and how do they challenge everything we thought we knew about early social life?

***
This is Thinking in Dark Times, a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language multimedia project about Ukraine.

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

Guest: David Wengrow, a renowned British archaeologist and Professor of Comparative Archaeology at University College London. He is the co-author, alongside David Graeber, of the international bestseller "The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity".

***
Thinking in Dark Times is produced by UkraineWorld and brought to you by Internews Ukraine. It is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation and Politeia, a Ukrainian NGO.

***
SUPPORT: 

You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld  
Your help is crucial, 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.

***
CONTENTS:

00:00 - Intro. What can the deep past of Ukraine reveal about the global story of humanity?
00:14 - Were the world’s first cities actually built in what is now Ukraine?
02:51 - Why does the Ukrainian soil play a key role in rethinking the origins of cities and states?
03:55 - Why are standard narratives of human history fundamentally wrong?
09:15 - What were the Cucuteni-Trypillia megasites?
17:23 - Why does the existence of egalitarian cities overturn political history itself?
20:35 - What does a circular city say about how people imagined the world?
21:27 - How did thousands of people govern themselves without rulers?
26:36 - Did democracy exist thousands of years before ancient Greece?
28:29 - Were Hobbes and Rousseau both wrong about human nature?
42:29 - Is Ukrainian history shaped by a tension between freedom and vulnerability?
47:22 - What do burning rituals reveal about cyclical views of life and nature?
50:51 - Why does Ukraine’s past matter for the future of humanity?


Cities without kings: humanity's prehistory on Ukrainian soil — with David Wengrow

What are the prospects for peace talks — and why are many Ukrainians skeptical about them? Does Ukraine have technological parity with Russia on the battlefield? And how has Ukrainian civil society become one of the country’s greatest assets during the war?

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

Guest: Volodymyr Havrylov, retired major general of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, former deputy defense minister, and former Ukrainian defense attaché to the United States.

***
Explaining Ukraine is produced by UkraineWorld and brought to you by Internews Ukraine. This episode is created with support from Politeia, a Ukrainian NGO.

Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine 
UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en 

***
SUPPORT: 

You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld  
Your help is crucial, 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.

***
CONTENTS:
00:00 - Intro.
01:26 - On peace negotiations.
08:31 - Who is winning the technological war?
15:30 - Key challenges of Ukrainian military technological progress
18:59 - Why we need integration of European and Ukrainian military production
24:19 - What’s next in war tech?
30:05 - Is Ukraine digitizing its defense?
33:38 - Can reliance on Chinese components become a risk?
38:44 - What to expect from Russia in the coming years?
47:53 - Where should we look for hope?
51:00 - Outro.
51:35 - Support us: patreon.com/ukraineworld 


Can Ukraine win the technological war? - with Volodymyr Havrylov

During this record-breaking cold winter, millions of Ukrainians are regularly left without electricity, water, or heat as temperatures plummet to -20°C and below. Does Russia intend to make life in Ukraine unlivable? Can the country’s civilian infrastructure continue to withstand such a massive, relentless assault? And what are the alternatives for the future? 

***
Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet covering Ukraine. 

Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko—Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine.
Guest: Oksana Ishchuk, an analyst specializing in international and energy relations at the Centre for Global Studies "Strategy XXI," a prominent Ukrainian think tank.

***
Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine 
UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en 

***
SUPPORT: 
You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld  
Your help is crucial, 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.

***
CONTENTS:
02:05 — The real goal behind Russian energy strikes on Ukraine
05:10 — Is a "total blackout" in Ukraine possible?
09:00 — A Soviet-built system: pros and cons
12:20 — Why Ukrainian cities go dark all at once
14:40 — Why every citizen must prepare for the next winter now
16:40 — The reason Russia succeeded only this winter
18:30 — Fragmenting the grid: Russia’s new energy tactics
19:55 — Why can’t Ukraine defend every power plant?
22:30 — The terrifying reality of Russia’s "indirect" nuclear terrorism
27:40 — Rebuilding the grid for a long war
32:10 — Why sanctions policy should be improved
34:30 — How Russia bypasses sanctions via the Baltic Sea
36:40 — The kind of Ukraine’s resilience Europe tries to understand


Russia's energy terror against Ukraine - with Oksana Ishchuk

Since Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency, Russia has drastically escalated its missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities. In January 2026, launches exceeded 6,000—a sharp increase from approximately 2,000 in January 2025. The use of guided aerial bombs (KABs) also reached a record high of almost 6,000 per month. With the Trump administration significantly cutting military aid to Kyiv, Ukraine now finds itself in an increasingly vulnerable position.

What are the underlying causes of this policy shift, and what does it reveal about Trump’s vision for global order and human rights?

***
Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet covering Ukraine. 
Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko—Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine.
Guest: Christopher Atwood, an American human rights and communications expert and Head of Ukraїner International—the international branch of the popular Ukrainian media platform, Ukraїner.

***
Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine 
UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en 

***
SUPPORT: 
You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld  
Your help is crucial, 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.

***
CONTENTS:
00:00 Intro
06:00 Why is it important to be in Ukraine?
10:08 Analysis of the US political shift: Biden VS Trump 
13:58 Trump and violence
15:00 "Empathy Recession": How cruelty has become a cultural zeitgeist 
21:10 The role of the media establishment 
27:11 Trump`s perspectives on Ukraine: Is he a mediator or closer to Putin’s vision? 
30:43 The threat to Europe
35:27 Trump’s economics
40:01 Public vs. Political support: Why most Americans still favor Ukraine 
44:04 Building a coalition of the willing


Decoding Trump’s Ukraine policy - with Christopher Atwood

Why has Ukraine rapidly emerged as a global leader in advanced defense technology? What is the secret behind this innovation? How has warfare evolved over the past few years, and how are these shifts manifesting not only in the Russo-Ukrainian war but also in the Middle East? Are new drone technologies permanently altering the balance of power between major powers and smaller nations? Finally, what is required to defend the world against the Russian and Iranian regimes—and why is the Ukrainian experience the key to global security?

***
Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet covering Ukraine. 
Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko—Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine.
Guest: Yulia Marushevska, a civic activist, former head of the Office of Support for Reforms at Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence and currently Supervisory board member at Brave 1, a platform for Ukrainian defense innovations.

***
Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine 
UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en 

***
SUPPORT: 
You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld  
Your help is crucial, 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.

***
CONTENTS:
00:00 Guest: Yulia Marushevska’s background in defense reform and innovation
01:52 Ukraine’s shift from security recipient to security provider.
03:49 What have Ukrainians learned about modern warfare?
05:58 High-precision weapons vs. cheap drone swarms 
08:14 Can Western bureaucracy adapt to modern production needs?
11:04 What is a "Defense Ecosystem"?
14:15 Ukrainian civil society as a contributor to the Ukraine’s defense 
16:13 A lack of urgency: key problem of Ukraine’s partners
19:03 Are authoritarian regimes better prepared for a war of attrition? 
22:12 Why is joint air defense between Ukraine and the EU essential for European security?
28:18 How do volunteers "buy time" for state institutions?
34:59 Expectations for the new Ministry of Defense team 
38:32 Hope through horizontal connections and people
40:10 How to support UkraineWorld.




Why the world needs Ukraine’s war tech - with Yulia Marushevska

How did two friends save hundreds of civilians? How did one restaurant feed tens of thousands in a besieged city? What does a former entrepreneur feel while recovering the bodies of fallen soldiers every day? What is life truly like under Russian occupation? And most importantly—why is the Ukrainian resistance impossible to grasp without understanding the role of ordinary people, like you and me?

***
Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet covering Ukraine. 

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

This episode features a conversation held at PEN Ukraine in late February with the authors of the book Dark Days, Determined People: Stories from Ukraine under Siege, written by journalists Bohdan Ben and Orysia Hrudka. Part of the "Ukrainian Voices" series, the book was published in English by Ibidem-Verlag and is available on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Days-Determined-People-Ukrainian/dp/3838219589

The book brings together 20 reportage stories documented between 2022 and 2024 across Ukraine. Originally published mostly by Euromaidan Press, these stories capture the lived experiences of Ukrainian soldiers, volunteers, artists, students, and children.


***
Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine 
UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en 

***
SUPPORT: 
You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld  
Your help is crucial, 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.

***
CONTENTS:

00:00 — Why Ukrainian resistance is impossible to grasp without the effort of the ordinary people
01:51 — Writing a book together: natural or unthinkable?
04:40 — The first days of invasion: urgency to inform the world
06:20 — The “human spirit radar”: stories of unexpected courage
08:15 — Small decisions that changed the war’s outcome
09:30 — Beyond the headlines: the secret to Ukraine's first victories
10:45 — The political nature of freedom: why a state is a necessity
12:56 — Navigating hell: the raw motivation behind civilian evacuations
14:39 — When heroism isn't planned, but becomes survival
17:29 — Vulnerability revealed: when nothing is guaranteed anymore
21:00 — Farming in minefields: the sheer determination to feed a nation
23:15 — Stealing warmth: Russia’s war on basic human needs
25:19 — The psychological toll of recovering the fallen 
27:45 — The physical limit: the truth about endurance
30:17 — A nation turned factory: drones, innovation and resistance
31:57 — Ukraine as Europe's military asset, not a victim
34:10 — Second Life: rediscovering the will to live
36:30 — Sniper theologian: when ethics collide with survival
41:24 — Orcs and adventures: how parents explain the war
45:23 — Why Ukraine needs its own films
51:30 — Rewriting in real time: the grind of wartime reporting
54:30 — Dark stories, real hope: what keeps them going
56:30 — Where Ukrainians find hope for the future
59:45 — Stories left untold: what didn’t make the book
01:02:45 — How the war shapes the Ukrainian society
01:05:30 — The intensity of life when facing death


Why Ukraine's resistance starts with ordinary people

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

Victoria Amelina. In memoriam

UkraineWorld

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