Explaining Ukraine

What are the roots of Ukrainian resistance? Why can we describe Ukrainian culture and statehood not as something that exists thanks to favorable circumstances, but as something that has survived and flourished despite oppression and countless obstacles? How does Ukraine’s struggle today fit into the broader global challenges facing democracies? And why is Ukrainian resistance crucial to the survival of democracy in Europe and around the world? This is the Explaining Ukraine podcast. *** Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine brought to you 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…

What role does religion play in Ukraine? How pluralistic is the country’s religious landscape? Which Christian denominations are the most influential, and how does Christianity coexist with Islam and Judaism? Why is Ukrainian Orthodoxy divided, and what is the story behind the emergence of an autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine? And how does Russia use its branch of Orthodoxy in Ukraine as an instrument of political influence and propaganda? *** Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Archimandrite Cyril Hovorun, a prominent Ukrainian theologian. *** Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine brought to you by Internews Ukraine. We thank the Ukrainian History Global Initiative for helping us to organize this conversation. *** Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en *** SUPPORT: You can support our work…

Why does Taras Shevchenko remain the central figure of Ukrainian culture? Why is a poet who lived in the 19th century still perceived in Ukraine almost as a contemporary? How does Shevchenko’s understanding of time and history differ from our present-day perspective, so focused on the immediate moment and often lacking the depth of historical memory? And how did he articulate powerful anticolonial ideas as early as the 19th century — particularly through his empathy and solidarity with other oppressed peoples? This is the Explaining Ukraine podcast. *** Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Rory Finnin, the Notre Dame Collegiate Mission Chair in Ukrainian Studies and Global Affairs and director of the Ukrainian Studies Hub at the University of Notre Dame. He is a scholar of Ukrainian culture, literature, and identity, and the author of the award-winning book Blood of Others: Stalin’s Crimean Atrocity and the Poetics of…

Studying Ukrainian history can be far more fascinating than you might think. It can reveal deeper layers of our past than we ever imagined and help us better understand the history of humanity as a whole. It can help us grasp why the interaction between settled and nomadic cultures has been so important throughout human history. Why some of the world's earliest proto-cities emerged in what is now central Ukraine. Why the origins of the Indo-European languages might lie here, too. And why Ukraine, situated between the vast forests and the vast steppe, on the shores of the Black Sea, has been a crossroads through which so many peoples have passed, shaping both our past and our present. This is the Explaining Ukraine podcast. *** Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language multimedia project about Ukraine. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, the editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and the president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Timothy Snyder, the renowned American historian and…

Ukrainian traditional music has preserved one of the richest traditions of polyphonic singing in the world. It has survived centuries of oppression, oblivion, marginalisation, and even physical extermination. Despite all this, there have always been people in Ukraine who travelled to villages, talked to local singers, listened to their songs, and recorded them. Thanks to their work, this tradition remains alive — not only in the villages themselves, but also in archival recordings, on stage, and increasingly in modern interpretations. Today, we are going to talk about this extraordinary tradition. You are listening to the Explaining Ukraine podcast. *** Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine brought to you by Internews Ukraine Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, the editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld and president of PEN Ukraine. Guests: Mariana Sadovska, one of Ukraine’s best-known singers, musicians, and cultural activists, Andre Erlen, a German theatre…

How did the vastness of the Eurasian steppe shape the political model of Russian imperialism? What does the Russian Empire have in common with other Eurasian empires — the Ottoman, Persian, Mughal, Chinese, and others? What are the roots of Russia’s assimilationist imperialism and its claims to global domination? And why is the Russian political model so deeply rooted in the logic of war and military conquest? *** “Thinking in dark times” is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine brought to you by Internews Ukraine Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, the editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Michael Khodarkovsky, an American historian of Ukrainian origin and one of the leading scholars of Russian and Eurasian history. We talk about his new book, The Steppe and Its Empires: The Russian Empire and Its Eurasian Counterparts, published by Yale University Press in 2026. In this book, Khodarkovsky looks at Russia not so much through its relationship with…

How can Ukraine protect itself against Russia’s ballistic missile threat? What role can Europe play, particularly through joint production? Can Ukraine develop its own anti-ballistic missile? And who is winning this war now? *** Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine brought to you by Internews Ukraine Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, the editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Andriy Zagorodnyuk, a renowned Ukrainian security expert and former deputy Minister of Defence of 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.…

Why should we take Russian propaganda seriously? Why is it so deeply rooted in Russia’s authoritarian vision of society and politics? What lessons can we learn from Russia’s war against Ukraine about information warfare? And how should the West change its strategies — and do so quickly? *** Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Thomas Kent, a leading expert on Russian propaganda, disinformation, and journalistic ethics. He is a former president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and spent many years at the Associated Press. His latest book, published in August 2026, is called The Propaganda Manual of the Ukraine War: Information Warfare by Russia, Ukraine, and Western Nations — Lessons Learned for Future Conflicts. In this episode we will talk about this book. Link to the book:…

What values define Ukrainian society? How accurate is it to say that Ukrainians have high levels of horizontal trust—trust in one another—but low trust in public institutions? How should we understand power distance in Ukraine? Is corruption really as great a threat as it is often portrayed, or is its impact sometimes overstated? And how have these dynamics changed during the war? *** Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Maryna Starodubska, Kyiv-Mohyla Business School Adjunct Professor, cross-cultural interaction consultant, and author of the book "Understanding Ukrainians: Cross-Cultural Perspective" published in Ukrainian. Link: https://vivat.com.ua/product/yak-zrozumity-ukraintsiv-kroskulturnyi-pohliad/ Maryna is now preparing her new book, in English, called Ukraine Layer by Layer: Freedom and Friction in a Frontier Society.…

When people look at this war from the outside, they often ask one question: When will it end? Many assume that if a ceasefire is reached, the war will be over and life will return to normal. But we should not confuse a ceasefire with a lasting peace—or, more importantly, with a just peace that restores Ukraine’s rights. Thinking about a possible ceasefire, therefore, also means thinking about its risks, not only its opportunities. This is the “Explaining Ukraine” podcast. *** “Explaining Ukraine” is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet run by Internews Ukraine. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guests: experts at Chatham House, the renowned London-based think tank: - Orysia Lutsevych, Head of the Ukraine Forum and Deputy Director of the Russia and Eurasia Programme, and - John Lough, an Associate Fellow with the Russia and Eurasia Programme. Together with their colleagues, Simon Smith and Keir Giles, they…

Many things have changed this year. Ukraine is now striking targets deep inside Russian territory on a regular basis. Russia’s traditional strengths—its vast territory and abundant resources—are increasingly becoming liabilities. The war may be approaching a turning point. It is time to seriously consider that a Ukrainian victory is not only possible but also the only viable path to a lasting peace. *** Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet run by Internews Ukraine. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian intellectual and journalist, head of the international service of Ukraine Crisis Media Centre, lecturer at Kyiv Mohyla Academy and author of the podcast “L’Ukraine face a la guerre”, Ukraine facing the war, in French. *** Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en *** SUPPORT: You can…

I read this book with absolute passion. While it is a novel, it is truly an epic—the story of a family told through the greatest upheavals and disasters of the 20th century. Although it is set in Greece, we Ukrainians can deeply relate to this story: a narrative where global events shape your life far more than your own plans. It is a novel about national conflicts and population displacements, fascism and communism, World War II, violence from all sides. It explores the trap of "revolutionary struggle," the dilemmas of duty versus life, and self-sacrifice versus human happiness. The novel is called "Niki", and it was written by Christos Chomenidis, a prominent Greek writer. I was glad to meet him in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, where he traveled at the invitation of the Greek embassy and his Ukrainian publisher. We sat down at PEN Ukraine and spoke about Europe, the past, the future, freedom, war, and peace. This is Thinking in Dark Times, a podcast series by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet…

Although Russia claims to be waging a war against the so-called West, no other country has officially deployed its military to fight alongside Ukraine. Instead, thousands of individuals from across the globe have made the personal choice to join the Ukrainian defense. Who are these foreign volunteers risking their lives to fight the Russian invasion? What motivates them? What challenges do they face, both on the front lines and back home? How can international military cooperation be improved? You are listening to the Explaining Ukraine podcast. *** Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet run by Internews Ukraine. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Colin Freeman, freelance foreign affairs reporter for the Daily Telegraph. Colin has reported widely on British fighters in Ukraine. *** Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine UkraineWorld:…

On March 16, 2022, the Russian army committed one of the gravest war crimes of its invasion of Ukraine. It dropped air bombs on the Mariupol Drama Theatre, knowing that around a thousand civilians were sheltering inside, seeking refuge from Russian shelling. It did so despite the huge inscriptions reading “Children” — written in Russian on both sides of the theatre — clearly visible from the air as a warning to any potential bomber. In this episode, we analyse this crime with the help of a journalist who spent several years speaking with dozens of survivors. You are listening to the Explaining Ukraine podcast. *** Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet run by Internews Ukraine. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, Chief Editor of UkraineWorld, and President of PEN Ukraine. Guest: James Verini, an American journalist and book writer who wrote for The New York Times and other papers. He recently published a book, The Theater: Courage and Survival in…

The Russian army is hunting people in Kherson, a major city in the southern part of Ukraine. It is estimated that 700 Russian drones attack Kherson region every day. Russian soldiers are targeting Ukrainian civilians, their cars, and their homes, as if they were on a safari. On the occupied lands of the Kherson region, on the left bank of the Dnipro River, the situation is even worse. There, the Russian army is implementing the tactics of a 'drone blockade.' People cannot leave their villages, they cannot buy food, and they cannot even bury their dead. The situation is catastrophic, and Russia is continuously breaking international humanitarian law. These people must be rescued urgently. You’re listening to the Explaining Ukraine podcast. *** Explaining Ukraine is brought to you by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet run by Internews Ukraine. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, Chief Editor of UkraineWorld, and President of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Zarina Zabrisky, an American…

Ukraine has won time for Europe. A vast amount of time. But the price of this time has been tremendous. It is measured not in money, but in human lives. Dozens of towns and hundreds of villages have been destroyed. Occupied territories, occupied people, occupied lives—an occupied future. Europe helps, and it helps a lot. The Ukrainian economy would be in a far more difficult situation without European financial aid. Europe has also provided armaments and political support. Yet, many in Ukraine feel that the time we won for Europe is not being used properly—or is even being wasted. It seems Europe has yet to learn from the Ukrainian experience, our successes, and our mistakes. The continent remains far from becoming a true security union, and its defense industries still behave as if we are living in a time of peace—or as if they are preparing for the wars of the past, not the future. Is this diagnosis correct? And what must Europe do to respond to these challenges more effectively? You’re listening to the…

In recent months, Ukrainian deep strikes into Russia have outnumbered Russian strikes on Ukraine. Ukraine has managed to build its military capacities practically from scratch, while Russia has made very little technological progress since 2022. Furthermore, Russia is losing more and more people on the frontline, even as the pace of its advance slows down. Does this mean Ukraine can win the war? *** This is the “Explaining Ukraine” podcast. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Lesia Ogryzko, a Ukrainian expert in international relations and security, the co-founder and director of the Sahaidachnyi Security Centre, a Ukrainian think tank. She is also the head of the reforms support office of Ukraine’s defence ministry. Sahaidachnyi Security Centre: https://sahasec.org *** Explaining Ukraine is produced by UkraineWorld and brought to you by Internews Ukraine. This episode is also produced in cooperation with Politeia, a…

Let’s travel for a moment. Imagine you are on the shore of the Black Sea, in Odesa—one of the most beautiful cities in Eastern Europe. Odesa possesses multiple identities and refuses to be trapped by a single definition. It is Jewish, French, Italian, Ukrainian, Crimean Tatar, Romanian, Moldovan, Greek, Bulgarian, and more. Both the Russian and Soviet empires sought to flatten this multiplicity into a single imperial identity. They failed. Today, in an act of resentment, Russia is attempting to destroy Odesa. Missiles and drones fall upon its historic center, a site of UNESCO World Heritage. Meanwhile, Odesa is seeking a new identity. It is a work in progress—not yet fully formed—which makes the city incredibly vibrant and, in many ways, still misunderstood. *** This is the “Explaining Ukraine” podcast. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Julian Evans, a British-Australian journalist, writer, traveler, and filmmaker. His…

Can Europe become a genuine security union? Is it truly aware of the 21st-century geopolitical dangers that threaten its very existence? How central is Ukraine to Europe’s self-defense, and does the continent understand—and adapt to—the changing nature of modern warfare? *** This is the “Explaining Ukraine” podcast. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, chief editor of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Borja Lasheras, a Spanish book author and expert on Ukrainian and European security. Borja is an Associate Policy Fellow at the European Policy Institute in Kyiv (EPIK). Explaining Ukraine is produced by UkraineWorld and brought to you 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…

What do Ukrainians and Black Americans share in their historical and cultural experiences? Can we draw comparisons between serfdom and slavery, or find parallels in the colonial traumas and the struggle for human dignity? Furthermore, what role do culture, identity, and language play in overcoming these legacies? In this episode of the Explaining Ukraine podcast, we share a recording of a vital discussion held at PEN Ukraine in Kyiv in October 2025. This conversation explores collective memory, the universal aspiration for freedom, and the growing solidarity between communities that have endured systemic oppression. *** Our Speakers are: - Terrell Jermaine Starr – Independent American journalist and host of Black Diplomats, a documentary news show covering civilian life in Ukraine. Over his 16-year career, he has reported extensively on the U.S. military, nuclear policy, and the Black Lives Matter movement. - Christopher Atwood – Human rights and communications expert, Head of the Ukraïner International,…

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.…

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:…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Ukrainian cultural heritage is not something that quietly settles into national archives. In reality, it is the result of a dramatic struggle against destruction and oblivion. This makes this heritage so magnetic—precisely because it is not always visible or accessible, yet can be reconstructed like a lost mosaic. In this episode, we talk about what the Ukrainian cultural heritage is, and how we can understand it. And also about the role of cultural institutions during Russia’s genocidal war against Ukraine. *** Guest: Olesia Ostrovska-Liuta, a prominent Ukrainian public intellectual and art manager, director of the Art Arsenal (Mystetskyi Arsenal), one of Ukraine’s major cultural institutions. Olesia regularly appears on lists of the most influential figures in the Ukrainian cultural sphere compiled by various media and rankings. Host: Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian literary scholar at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and the head of the international department at Ukraine Crisis Media Centre. She also runs the…

Russian propaganda claims that Ukraine is not a separate nation, but merely a “preliminary form” of Russia. Today’s Kremlin ideology seeks to annex Ukrainian history in order to justify its territorial aggression. But this myth has a birth certificate. It emerged in the 19th century, when the Russian Empire started inventing its “ancient” medieval roots. Before that, Russian travellers in Ukrainian lands showed little interest in such historical questions. In this episode, we trace the genealogy of the myth that Kyiv is a “Russian city” and that its history somehow belongs to Muscovy. *** Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media platform about Ukraine, run by Internews Ukraine. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en *** Guest: Kateryna Dysa, a Ukrainian historian and Associate Professor at…

She is not only a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She is not only one of the most visible human-rights defenders in Europe in recent decades. She is not only a tireless activist with profound empathy for others. She is also a thinker — someone who reflects deeply on the moral foundations of freedom and dignity. Our guest today is Oleksandra Matviychuk, a prominent Ukrainian human-rights defender and head of the Center for Civil Liberties, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. In this episode, we discuss the moral ideas that hold Ukrainian society together. *** Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN 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 *** SUPPORT: You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld Your help is…

How is the life of a soldier different from that of a civilian? Which aspects of it are hardest for civilians to understand? What is happening on the frontline today — and how will the outcome of this war depend on the technological race? *** Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Vladyslav Urubkov, a former soldier of the Ukrainian army and now a manager for military affairs at Come Back Alive (Povernys zhyvym) — one of Ukraine’s most prominent charitable foundations, supporting the military and veterans since 2014. Come back alive: https://savelife.in.ua/ *** Explaining Ukraine is produced by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet 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…

Ukraine is not a burden for Europe — it’s a chance for Europe. Today, European security is unthinkable without Ukraine. Ukraine has the strongest army in Europe, a dynamic defense industry, and citizens with vast military experience. The real question is: to what extent does Europe itself understand the threat posed by the new authoritarianisms? And to what extent does it realise that helping Ukraine is, in fact, a matter of its own survival? *** Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Yevhen Hlibovytskyi, a prominent Ukrainian intellectual and director of the Frontier Institute. Frontier Institute: https://frontier.pro-mova.com/en *** Explaining Ukraine is produced by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet 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…

In this episode, we will talk about “Ukraïner”: a great initiative that has done a great deal to help rediscover Ukraine — both from within and from abroad. “Ukraïner” launched expeditions to villages and towns across the country, researched the lifestyles and cultures of Ukraine’s diverse communities, and created outstanding textual and visual projects that help us better understand our own land. It has also done much to tell the Ukrainian story to the world. *** Host: Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Julia Tymoshenko, head of Ukraïner. Ukraïner website: https://www.ukrainer.net/en/ *** Explaining Ukraine is produced by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine. *** 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…

In this episode, we discuss how Russia destroys Ukrainian families, kidnaps Ukrainian children — including those who have parents — and reprograms them, changing their identity, their way of thinking, their lifestyle, their homes. *** Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Kateryna Rashevska, a Ukrainian human rights lawyer, expert at the Regional Centre for Human Rights, and a tireless fighter for the liberation of Ukrainian children. *** Explaining Ukraine is produced by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine. Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine *** 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…

Where do Ukrainians get their news? What are the key trends in Ukraine’s media sector during the war? Do citizens trust information coming from the government? And why is Ukrainian society so dependent on Telegram, a Russian social network? In this episode, we discuss a report, “Ukrainian media. News Consumption and Trust in 2025”—a new study conducted by Internews Ukraine with support from its partners. Read the report: https://internews.ua/en/opportunity/media_trust_consumption_2025_release *** Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Kostiantyn Kvurt, a Ukrainian media expert and chair of the board of Internews Ukraine, one of the country’s largest media NGOs. *** Explaining Ukraine is produced by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine. Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine This episode podcast is created by Internews Ukraine as part of the project…

In September 2025, in Kyiv, a prominent American historian Timothy Snyder received the Vasyl Stus Prize — a Ukrainian award honoring the name of Vasyl Stus, one of Ukraine’s greatest poets and dissidents of the 20th century, killed by the Soviet regime in 1985. Founded in 1989 by Yevhen Sverstiuk, another prominent Ukrainian dissident, the prize is now awarded by PEN Ukraine, the publishing house Dukh i Litera, and the Kyiv-Mohyla Business School. Before the award ceremony, we held a public conversation with Snyder on the good and bad ways of thinking about history. Since interpretations of history often lie at the heart of both the good and the evil that people do, this question remains vitally important. *** Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Thinking in Dark Times seeks to find the light through — and despite — today’s darkness. *** UkraineWorld is an English-language media about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine Listen to our…

What do we know about theatre — the most ephemeral of the arts — in Ukraine? What role did Ukrainian theatre play in Soviet times? How is the heritage of the Executed Renaissance generation still alive today? And why are women in theatre so important — and yet so often ignored? *** The Explaining Ukraine podcast is produced by UkraineWorld, an English-language media project about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine. Host: Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian literary scholar at Kyiv Mohyla Academy and journalist at Ukraine Crisis Media Centre. She also runs a French-language podcast, “L’Ukraine face à la guerre”. Guest: Mayhill C. Fowler, historian and associate professor in the Department of History at Stetson University. Her first book, “Beau Monde on Empire’s Edge: State and Stage in Soviet Ukraine” (Toronto, 2017), tells the story of how theatre in Soviet Ukraine was formed, through a collective biography of young artists and officials in the 1920s and 1930s. *** This episode is produced in partnership with the…

Why is Taras Shevchenko not only the founding father of Ukrainian poetry but also of Ukrainian identity? What aspects of his legacy remain alive today? And how does poetry shape a nation? *** Host: Tetyana Ogarkova, a Ukrainian literary scholar at Kyiv Mohyla Academy and journalist at Ukraine Crisis Media Centre who also runs a French-language podcast, “L’Ukraine face à la guerre”. Guest: Rory Finnin, Professor of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Cambridge. He launched the Cambridge Ukrainian Studies programme in 2008. His book “Blood of Others: Stalin’s Crimean Atrocity and the Poetics of Solidarity” has received numerous awards. Find the book: https://utppublishing.com/doi/book/10.3138/9781487558253 Our earlier conversation about this book: https://ukraineworld.org/en/articles/russian-aggression/crimea-fresh-view) *** This episode is produced in partnership with the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and the project Heritage Ukraine, supported by the European Union’s Erasmus programme. Special thanks to the…

Are all empires equally bad? If some were better than others, what criteria can we use to make such judgments? Why must we study networks, not only hierarchies, to understand our past, present, and future? What happens to societies in times of catastrophe, and who has the best chances of survival? And finally — why is Ukraine so important for the world today? *** Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Niall Ferguson — a renowned British-American historian and author of numerous books, including “Empire”, “The Square and the Tower”, “The War of the World”, “Doom”, and others. Ferguson is the Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. We had this conversation during the Yalta European Strategy Forum in Kyiv in September 2025. *** Thinking in Dark Times is a podcast of reflection from Ukraine. We try to see the light through — and despite — the current darkness. This episode was made possible thanks to the support…

Let’s take a deeper look into drone warfare and the long-term changes it is bringing to the battlefield. How is Ukraine countering Russian drone attacks? How is it developing systems of drone interceptors? Are we moving toward a future where drones will fight other drones? And what skills must our societies cultivate to prepare for this new reality? *** The “Explaining Ukraine” podcast is produced by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine. Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine Support: https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld *** Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Taras Tymochko, a consultant at Come Back Alive (Povernys zhyvym), one of Ukraine’s most prominent charitable foundations supporting the military and veterans since 2014. Taras coordinates the foundation’s project “Dronopad”—“the fall of drones”—which aims to develop a system of…

How is Ukrainian IT transforming the country’s defence? Why is technology key to success in today’s war? Why is Ukraine one of the world’s most dynamic IT nations — and why does it still hold so much untapped potential? And finally, how has the IT sector become a driver of social change, reshaping Ukraine’s social fabric today? *** Explaining Ukraine is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine SUPPORT OUR WORK: https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld *** My guest today is Taras Tymoshchuk, a board member of the IT Ukraine Association and CEO of Geniusee, a Ukrainian IT company. Read the “Digital Tiger” report by the IT Ukraine Association. https://itukraine.org.ua/files/DigitalTiger2024.pdf *** This episode is brought to you by UkraineWorld with the support of the Askold…

Yaroslav Hrytsak is one of Ukraine’s leading historians and public intellectuals. His recent book in Ukrainian, "Overcoming the Past: A Global History of Ukraine", became a bestseller. His English-language book, "Ukraine: The Forging of a Nation", is now a key reference work on Ukrainian history. We met in Lviv to discuss the global dimension of Ukrainian history, and the features of Ukraine’s political culture that explain why the country has so often fought against tyranny. *** Explaining Ukraine is produced by UkraineWorld, an English-language media project about Ukraine, run by Internews Ukraine. Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. This episode is made in partnership with Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and the project Heritage Ukraine, supported by the European Union’s Erasmus programme. *** Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine You can support our work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld Your…

If Ukraine does not receive real security guarantees, the war will continue—and is likely to spill over into the rest of Europe. But what kind of guarantees are truly needed, and which of them are realistic? *** Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Our guest today is Hanna Shelest, one of Ukraine’s leading experts on international security and foreign policy. She is Director of the Security Studies Program at the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism,” and Editor-in-Chief of the journal UA: Ukraine Analytica. Explaining Ukraine is produced by UkraineWorld, an English-language media project about Ukraine, run by Internews Ukraine. Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine *** You can support our work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld Your contributions are vital—we rely heavily on crowdfunding. You can also help fund our volunteer trips to frontline areas of Ukraine, where we support both…

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…

Why is technology playing such a decisive role in this war? Who is ahead in technological innovation—Ukraine or Russia? How are drones reshaping the battlefield, and how might they also transform technologies of peace? And why must Europe step up its technological cooperation with Ukraine? *** Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Glib Voloskyi, analyst at the Initiatives Centre of Come Back Alive (Povernys zhyvym) — one of Ukraine’s most prominent charitable foundations, supporting the military and veterans since 2014. *** Explaining Ukraine is produced by UkraineWorld, an English-language media project about Ukraine, run by Internews Ukraine. Listen on various platforms (apple, youtube, spotify, soundcloud, amazon etc): https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine This episode is also made in partnership with Politeia, a Ukrainian NGO focusing on preparing a new generation of change-makers in Ukraine. *** SUPPORT US: You can…

Kherson may be the most dangerous regional center in Ukraine. Occupied by Russian forces in 2022, its residents were subjected to torture and intimidation. The city was liberated by Ukrainian forces in November 2022 — but almost immediately came under daily bombardment and shelling from Russian troops stationed just across the Dnipro River. In June 2023, Kherson was hit by a catastrophic flood caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant — an explosion orchestrated by the Russian military. Today, the city’s residents are hunted by Russian drones, as if caught in some macabre human safari. “Kherson: Human Safari” is the title of a documentary film by Zarina Zabrisky, an American filmmaker who has spent significant time in Kherson, reporting from this brave and embattled city. Link to the film: https://khersonhumansafari.com/ *** Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Zarina Zabrisky, an American…

Trump is set to meet with Putin in Alaska on August 15. Media reports and leaks ahead of this meeting, along with statements by President Trump and members of his administration, suggest that the two leaders may have discussed a plan in which Ukraine would cede some or all of the occupied territories to Russia in exchange for “peace.” This brings us back to the basics: the fundamental truth that violating internationally recognized borders through military aggression cannot lead to sustainable peace. In this episode, we explain why the idea of a territorial swap is dangerous — why it would undermine international law, destabilize the global order, and why neither Ukraine nor most EU member states are likely to accept it. *** 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…