Ukrainian Spaces

S4E4

“There is no free Ukraine without free Qırım.”

When Russia invaded and annexed Crimea (or Qırım, an indigenous name) in 2014, the lives of all Ukrainians changed in irrevocable ways, but none more so than Crimean Tatars. Our season would be incomplete without an episode on Qırım, and the story of Crimea can only be told by those it truly belongs to. That’s why we invited Lina, a Crimean Tatar woman and activist, to talk to her about her home, her identity and have her share her memories with all of us about Qırım.

Lina’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe-bSIZ4IL16k3O1YQPiBjw 

Lina’s Twitter: https://x.com/linafromcrimea_

DISCLAIMER: This is a public release. Our Patreon family gets the newest episodes several weeks ahead of the rest. ⁠⁠⁠Sign up and listen as the season's story unfolds.⁠⁠⁠

Ukrainian Spaces is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the narrative, breaking free from outdated stereotypes, and understanding the complex roots of Ukraine's present and future. Together, we can unravel the threads of Ukrainian history and witness the unwavering spirit of a nation fighting for its future. Follow Ukrainian Spaces on social media for updates and exclusive content.

SUPPORT: #UkrainianSpaces is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonize more Ukraine conversations — ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠become our Patreon sponsor⁠⁠⁠ or bring a friend if you already are (a free trial is available.) 

GET FEATURED: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠send us a voicemail⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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S4E3

Before 2004, Ukraine pulsed with a vibrant cultural awakening. Following decades of Soviet suppression, Ukrainian language, music, art, and identity blossomed in a hard-won space. But this renaissance wasn't without its challenges. In this episode, we explore the diverse memories of Ukrainians navigating this crucial period:

Through their accounts, we witness the complexities of cultural decolonization, the resilience of Ukrainian identity, and the ever-present shadow of Russian interference.

DISCLAIMER: This is a public release. Our Patreon family gets the newest episodes several weeks ahead of the rest. ⁠⁠Sign up and listen as the season's story unfolds.⁠⁠

Ukrainian Spaces is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the narrative, breaking free from outdated stereotypes, and understanding the complex roots of Ukraine's present and future. Together, we can unravel the threads of Ukrainian history and witness the unwavering spirit of a nation fighting for its future. Follow Ukrainian Spaces on social media for updates and exclusive content.

SUPPORT: #UkrainianSpaces is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonize more Ukraine conversations — ⁠⁠⁠⁠become our Patreon sponsor⁠⁠ or bring a friend if you already are (a free trial is available.) 

GET FEATURED: ⁠⁠⁠⁠send us a voicemail⁠⁠⁠⁠

GET CONNECTED: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ukrainianspaces.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ _ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠ _⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠_

S4E2

On August 24th, 1991, Ukraine celebrated a moment etched in history: its independence from the Soviet Union. It was a culmination of centuries of struggle for freedom, a renewal of a spirit that had been suppressed for too long.

This episode of Ukrainian Spaces delves into the complex story of Ukraine's regained independence. We hear personal reflections from the hosts, exploring how their families and communities experienced this pivotal moment. Through their stories, we discover the challenges and triumphs of rebuilding a nation, the echoes of history that continue to resonate, and the unwavering spirit of a people determined to be free.

DISCLAIMER: This is a public release. Our Patreon family gets newest episodes several weeks ahead of the rest. ⁠Sign up and listen as the season's story unfolds.⁠

Ukrainian Spaces is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the narrative, breaking free from outdated stereotypes, and understanding the complex roots of Ukraine's present and future. Together, we can unravel the threads of Ukrainian history and witness the unwavering spirit of a nation fighting for its future. Follow Ukrainian Spaces on social media for updates and exclusive content.

SUPPORT: #UkrainianSpaces is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonize more Ukraine conversations — ⁠⁠⁠become our Patreon sponsor⁠ or bring a friend if you already are (a free trial is available.) 

GET FEATURED: ⁠⁠⁠send us a voicemail⁠⁠⁠

GET CONNECTED: ⁠⁠⁠ukrainianspaces.com⁠⁠⁠ _ ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠ _⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠_

S4E1

For many Ukrainians born after 1986, Chornobyl wasn't just a history lesson. It was a silent shadow cast over their lives. This episode delves into the personal stories of three Ukrainians grappling with the legacy of the world's worst nuclear disaster. From childhood memories of dosimeters and secret evacuations to the lingering distrust of authority and the ongoing environmental impact, we explore how Chornobyl continues to shape Ukraine's identity.

DISCLAIMER: This is a public release. Our Patreon family gets the newest episodes several weeks ahead of the rest. ⁠Sign up and listen as the season's story unfolds.⁠

Ukrainian Spaces is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the narrative, breaking free from outdated stereotypes, and understanding the complex roots of Ukraine's present and future. Together, we can unravel the threads of Ukrainian history and witness the unwavering spirit of a nation fighting for its future. Follow Ukrainian Spaces on social media for updates and exclusive content.

SUPPORT: #UkrainianSpaces is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonize more Ukraine conversations — ⁠⁠⁠become our Patreon sponsor⁠ or bring a friend if you already are (a free trial is available.) 

GET FEATURED: ⁠⁠⁠send us a voicemail⁠⁠⁠

GET CONNECTED: ⁠⁠⁠ukrainianspaces.com⁠⁠⁠ _ ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠ _⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠_

S4E0

What made four total strangers connect in those first few paralysing months of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine?  This season, Ukrainian Spaces embarks on a personal odyssey through defining moments in Ukrainian history with Val, Maksym, Stas and Marichka. From the haunting aftermath of Chernobyl to the spirit of resistance ignited by the Maidan Revolution, we explore how the past shapes the present and what unites us as Ukrainians in the face of unimaginable challenges.

DISCLAIMER: This is a public release. Our Patreon family gets newest episodes several weeks ahead of the rest. Sign up and listen as the season's story unfolds.

Ukrainian Spaces is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the narrative, breaking free from outdated stereotypes, and understanding the complex roots of Ukraine's present and future. Together, we can unravel the threads of Ukrainian history and witness the unwavering spirit of a nation fighting for its future. Follow Ukrainian Spaces on social media for updates and exclusive content.

SUPPORT: #UkrainianSpaces is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonize more Ukraine conversations — ⁠⁠become our Patreon sponsor or bring a friend if you already are (a free trial is available.) 

GET FEATURED: ⁠⁠send us a voicemail⁠⁠

GET CONNECTED:⁠⁠ukrainianspaces.com⁠⁠ _ ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠ _⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠_

podcast premiere episode: a jewish-ukrainian president and a korean-ukrainian governor emerge as key leaders in the ukrainian liberation war. perfect timing to decolonize your views about what it means to be a ukrainian. spoiler: it has nothing to do with ethnicity, race, or language. our featured ukrainian is oleksandr shyn, a civil society diplomat and activist

SUPPORT:#UkrainianSpaces is a 100% independent, volunteer and listener-supported initiative. If you like us, please become our Patreon sponsor and help us to amplify more Ukrainian voices

GET FEATURED: you can also send us a voicemail

GET CONNECTED:

find #UkrainianSpaces on ukrainianspaces.com _ twitter _insta_

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Val’s twitter and Insta and tiktoks

Maksym’s twitter and insta and tiktoks

From victim-blaming and thinking that Russia is the language of smarter people to advocating against arming Ukraine. In our third bonus episode, available exclusively to our Patreon family, the #UkrainianSpaces team is bringing you a cringe-fest full of embarrassing things we said and thought about Ukraine and Ukrainianness. Be patient with us. One can measure the supremacy of a colonial empire in the number of lands it conquered and pillaged. But the real triumph happens in the heads of the people it conquered and conditioned to feel inferior. Sharing the stories of our own personal decolonization journeys will help you to understand Ukraine better. And it will help us to heal.

A while ago, we started treating ⁠⁠our Patreon family⁠⁠ with exclusive #UkrainianSpaces bonus episodes during which our team (Valeriia, Maksym, Solomiya, and Tetyana) answers the questions from our Patreon community. Now, we are releasing some of them to the public while working on a new season. 

Also:

Misunderstood, ridiculed, or cast out. The relations between Ukrainians at home and the Ukrainian diaspora have often been rocky. It took another genocide and powerful soul-searching to finally bring them together - like never before. The 44-million family has finally merged into the 66-million one.

A while ago, we started treating ⁠our Patreon family⁠ with exclusive #UkrainianSpaces bonus episodes during which our team (Valeriia, Maksym, Solomiya, and Tetyana) answers the questions from our Patreon community. Now, we are releasing some of them to the public while working on a new season. 

Also:

Ukrainians often mention that the ongoing genocide did not start in 2022 but rather has been a slow-burning event since the 2014 Maidan Revolution. Everything that has happened since then is about Russia punishing Ukraine for wanting to be free. If the world did understand the revolution and heard Ukrainians 9 years ago, then maybe we wouldn't be dealing with this catastrophe today. 

A while ago, we started treating our Patreon family with exclusive #UkrainianSpaces bonus episodes during which our team (Valeriia, Maksym, Solomiya, and Tetyana) answers the questions from our Patreon community. Now, we are releasing some of them to the public while working on a new season.

Also:

DISCLAIMER. This is a public version of the podcast. Our Patreon family⁠⁠ gets the episodes much earlier, packaged with lots of bonus and backstage content. 

s3e9 (season finale):The triumph of colonialism is not just about the size of the conquered lands or looted wealth. It is about the success of identity confusion among the colonized people. People who do not know who they are, do not speak their own language, who look down on their own culture and feel embarrassed about their own roots. Ukrainians are not the only nation that can tell you a lot about the violence of Russian colonial assimilation. But the daily sacrifices of Ukrainians fighting off the empire inspire other survivor nations to speak up. For a very special and moving season three finale, we bring Qazaq democracy activist Yevgeniya Plakhina and Qazaq thinker Azamat Junisbai for an episode where we celebrate Qazaq culture, history and Ukrainian-Qazaq solidarity in a defiance to Russia that tried but failed to erase us.

The tracklist for this episode includes:

Check out our Patreon for the multimedia lists to decolonize your knowledge about Qazaq culture, history and identity, curated by Yevgeniya Plakhina and Azamat Junisbai for the #UkrainianSpaces family.

Also:

DISCLAIMER. This is a public version of the podcast. OurPatreon family⁠⁠ gets the episodes much earlier, packaged with lots of bonus and backstage content. 

s3e8:Whenever you are in a museum and see an artist being credited as Russian or mentioned as being born in Russia — there is a massive chance that they are not. Malevych, Repin, Ekster. Many Ukrainian artists are still mislabeled as 'Russian' in most foreign museums, galleries, and art spaces. That is thanks to centuries of Russian colonial imperialism stealing and appropriating indigenous artists. The entire concept of 'Great Russian culture' is a big colonial lie. For this one, we feature Ukrainian art historian and journalist Oksana Semenik, who survived the genocide in Bucha by pure luck. But the Russian empire messed with the wrong Ukrainian — after escaping mass slaughter, Semenik launched a global crusade to decolonize mislabelled Ukrainian art in museums worldwide and reclaim the artists stolen by Russia.

Check out our Patreon page for the reading list to decolonize your knowledge about Ukrainian art, curated by Oksana Semenik for the #UkrainianSpaces family.

Also:

DISCLAIMER. This is a public version of the podcast. Our ⁠⁠Patreon family⁠⁠ gets the episodes much earlier, packaged with lots of bonus and backstage content. 

s3e7:The Crimea region in southern Ukraine (or Qirim, as local indigenous people call it) has been a centerpiece for russian imperial propaganda for centuries. You steal a land, cleanse it from the entire indigenous population, replace locals with settler colonists, rename every settlement, every street, river, and mountain — and soon the entire world is sure that Crimea is somehow 'always been russian.' After Crimea, russians deployed the same occupation formula in countless other lands. They keep using it in modern-day Ukraine, too. To decolonize the Qirim myth and explain why Ukraine won't be free until Qirim is free, we asked the help of Alim Aliev, one of the most prominent Ukrainian Qirimli, deputy director of the Ukrainian Institute, a journalist and human rights advocate. 

Please, also help Ukrainians to survive the consequences of russia-made flood in southern Ukraine.Check the list of trusted fundraisersthe Ukrainian Spaces family members put together.

SUPPORT: #UkrainianSpaces is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. We exist thanks to donations: please ⁠⁠⁠become our Patreon sponsor and help us to amplify more Ukrainian voices.⁠⁠⁠

DISCLAIMER. This is a public version of the podcast. Our ⁠Patreon family⁠ gets the episodes much earlier, packaged with lots of bonus and backstage content. 

s3e6: Celebrated by some but used by others as an excuse to deny Ukrainians solidarity or even justify their mass murder. The topic of Ukrainian nationalism is divisive but, above all — profoundly confusing and unclear. That's why we called for help from the person who made an internationally-celebrated career on being an expert on Ukrainian identity without allowing her own biases to affect the research. Our featured Ukrainian is a scholar and author of 'The Zelensky Effect' Dr. Olga Onuch. 

DISCLAIMER. This is a public version of the podcast. Our ⁠Patreon family⁠ gets the episodes much earlier, packaged with lots of bonus and backstage content. 

s3e5: 'My mother tongue tastes like ashes. Things scorched by enemy fire, then soaked with rain, touched with rot, smelling of death. I felt the taste of my mother tongue most acutely while driving through Borodianka, Bucha, and Irpin two months after these Ukrainian towns in the Kyiv region were liberated by the Ukrainian army from the Russians’ “brotherly” embrace. Russian is my mother tongue, and liberation means ripping it out of my throat.'

There's so much talk about russian-speaking Ukrainians abroad. But how often have you heard actual russian-speaking Ukrainians being part of those conversations? It is rhetorical. The language issue is at the epicenter of understanding the Ukrainian decolonization journey. And Ukrainians who are or used to speak Russian as their first language are the most critical voices to explain it. We invite back Ukrainian scholar Sasha Dovzhyk to discuss her sensational essay 'Mother Tongue: The Story of a Ukrainian Language Convert' and share truths about russian-speaking Ukrainians with the rest of the world.

DISCLAIMER. This is a public version of the podcast. Our ⁠Patreon family⁠ gets the episodes much earlier, packaged with lots of bonus and backstage content. 

s3e4: During the latest mass pro-democracy protests in Sakartvelo-Georgia, you could see Ukrainian flags and hear 'Slava Ukraïni' everywhere. Why does Ukraine mean so much for Kartvelians-Georgians? This small Eastern European nation doesn't capture as many global headlines as Ukraine. But tightly bonded with Ukraine through centuries of shared history and by a shared colonial abuser, learning about Sakartvelo is crucial for your understanding of why Russia is committing genocide in Ukraine and why the empire will inevitably fall. For another bridge episode, we invited Nodar Rukhadze, a Georgian civil rights activist, journalist, and the founder of the Shame Movement, to educate us about his personal and Sakartvelo's decolonization struggle.

DISCLAIMER. This is a public version of the podcast. Our ⁠Patreon family⁠ gets these episodes much earlier, packaged with lots of bonus and backstage content. 

s3e3: 'There is no future for Ukrainian Jews if they want to go together with the Russian culture,' a Ukrainian Jewish activist ⁠Maria Gershova⁠ tells us. There's a massive identity evolution that most Ukrainians are going through amid this genocide. But also affects all other overlapping identities that we have. We meet Maria at a crucial period in her life - when she is decolonizing and figuring out what being Ukrainian means when you are also Jewish. Do both clash or contradict each other, considering the complicated and tragic history of the Jewish people in Ukraine? Maria has much to share with the rest of the world and fellow Jewish people globally. 

find #UkrainianSpaces on ⁠⁠ukrainianspaces.com⁠⁠ _ ⁠⁠twitter⁠⁠ _⁠⁠insta⁠⁠_

Val’s ⁠⁠twitter⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Insta⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠tiktoks⁠⁠

Maksym’s ⁠⁠twitter⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠insta⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠tiktoks⁠⁠

s3e2: thanks to our generous Patreon family, #UkrainianSpaces is back for season three. We felt big decolonization energy and tried something completely new - a live-audience show. This is part two of our podcast episode recorded in late February in Warsaw during our sold-out event featuring brilliant Ukrainians like:

Our Patreon family has exclusive access to the Q&A session recorded as a bonus podcast episode during this show - available through our Patreon page.

Слава Україні!

s3e1: Thanks to our generous Patreon family, #UkrainianSpaces is back for season three. For this one, we feel big decolonization energy and tried something completely new - a live-audience show. Recorded in late February in Warsaw, a sold-out event featured brilliant Ukrainians like:

Enjoy part one. This show reminds the world that:

Слава Україні!

s2e23: It has been the worst year for every Ukrainian. In a way, it also has been the best one. Those Ukrainians who survived it are transformed forever. Despite the trauma, pain, and heartbreak, they keep dreaming, creating, and daring. Millions of Ukrainian stories can inspire anyone to live in a better world and to be a better person. But for the season two finale, we decided to keep it within the close family, featuring 9 Ukrainians and how they withstood the darkest, coldest winter of our lives.

The episode features (in the order of appearance): Solomiya Petlyak, Mariam Naiem,Stas Olenchenko,Maria Buchelnikova,Romeo Kokriatski,Tetyana Denford (Bisyk), and Alice Zhuravel. 

s2e22:Russian-backed conspiracies about Ukraine and Ukrainians might appear bizarre, entertaining, or even funny. But every piece of anti-Ukrainian propaganda shared abroad, even accidentally or as a hate share, has a specific price in Ukrainian lives. That's why Ukrainians take fact-checking so seriously, and it is universally regarded as important as defending our freedom with actual weapons in the trenches. Mark Kaplan, our featured Ukrainian for this episode, might have a reputation as a funny journalist ridiculing Russian propaganda for a late-night show on Telebachennya Toronto. But he also developed one of the brightest and smartest understandings of how anti-Ukrainian disinformation gets picked up in the West and why it happens. 

s2e21: This is not Russia's first attempt to eradicate Ukrainians. This is not the first time fascism is trying to wipe an entire nation from the face of the Earth, either. Nevertheless, there has never been so much global unity when it comes to helping Ukrainians as today. But does it mean we are finally learning our 'never again' lessons? Let's do a quick rundown of things foreigners historically always get wrong about Ukraine and whether they are still mainstream. Our featured Ukrainian is Andrea Chalupa, a prominent Ukrainian-American journalist, author, and the person behind an absolute must-see Holodomor movie Mr. Jones. 

s2e20:When Ukrainians express discomfort by being pushed into a space with a Russian person without consent, some foreigners label it 'hatred' or 'russophobia.' When Ukrainians talk about Russian society's centuries-old patterns of serial abusive behavior towards their neighbors, we are dismissed as 'emotional' and 'hysterical.' Could it be just a lack of empathy or education? Lia Dostlieva, a Ukrainian artist, anthropologist, and our featured Ukrainian for this episode, wants you all to recognize in this attitude the old Western colonial tradition of marginalizing 'uncomfortable' voices. Together we decided to do a small workshop on talking and listening to Ukrainians without falling into colonial tropes.

s2e19: Through centuries of colonial oppression, music remained a secret superpower for Ukrainians to keep their resistance up. The ongoing genocide is no different. Ukrainian music artists have been creating breathtaking art that keeps our spirits up and inspires us not to give up. For this one, we feature Zbaraski, one of our favorite Ukrainian musicians, to explain the deep anti-colonial roots of Ukrainian music and where Ukrainian artists find the inspiration and energy to keep creating the ultimate act of resistance. 

Music featured:

s2e18: We took the theme of our second season, building bridges with Ukrainian allies worldwide, and thought why not go more ambitious? That's how Volya Hub was founded. A sister Ukrainian Spaces project, it unites journalists, storytellers and scholars across former Russian colonies to expand public awareness about the crimes of Russian colonialism — in languages of the communities that are affected by it. We invited our friends and partners to chat about why we teamed up for Volya Hub and how personal it is for all of us. This episode features prominent Qazaq journalist Vyacheslav Abramov of Vlast, Georgian activist Nodar Rukhadze of Shame Movement and Ukrainian journalist Kateryna Sergatskova of Zaborona.

s2e17: How does one go from a foreign journalist to a NAFO founding figure to a Ukrainian soldier putting your life on the line for Ukraine daily? For this one, we talk to James (his second name will remain secret due to security concerns) from Spaghetti Kozak Media. We discuss the price of freedom, colonialism, the NAFO phenomena, and Russian propaganda in the most honest, raw way - because facing death on the Ukrainian frontline puts all of it in a new, crystal-clear perspective.

s2e16: Despite what Russia claims, the roots of Ukrainian identity reach as far back as thousands of years. Despite what Russia is trying to do, a new generation of Ukrainian artists resists the cultural erasure and makes ancient Ukrainian culture reborn and reimagined again. For this one, a Ukrainian ethnographic researcher, style icon, and the founder of Nadiia, Nadiia Shapoval, explains how centuries of Ukrainian traditions are inspiring a new age of powerful cultural renaissance in wartime Ukraine, why many Ukrainians are on the journey to reclaim their ancient ancestral roots and in what way it makes our resistance to genocide even stronger.

s2e15: We talk so much about cultural appropriation by Westerners. But Russians have been doing the same thing to Ukrainians - and so many other neighboring cultures - for centuries, presenting stolen cultures as their own. We've had enough. Receipts of colonialism are ready to be shown, and anti-colonial tea is ready to be spilled. Our featured Ukrainian is Oleksandra Povoroznyk, a culture critic and insanely intelligent person.

s2e14:Before Russia started mass-slaughtering us, Ukrainians had global traction for exceptional work ethic, 'everything-is-possible' attitude, and breathtaking creativity. For the same reasons, Ukraine became one of the leading global hubs for high-end movie and video production in recent years. But what it has to do with our colonial past? Everything. For this one, we feature Kateryna Galytska, an executive producer behind the award-winning production house Radioaktive Film with accolades from Cannes Lions, MTV Music Video Awards, Emmys, and more.

s2e13: sport plays such a crucial identity-shaping role in Ukraine - athletes of different genders, ethnicities, and skin colors helped to crystalize our feeling of national pride and what it means to be a Ukrainian in the last three decades since the end of the last Russian occupation. That's why it is no surprise that when another Russian assault started this year, thousands of Ukrainian athletes went to the frontline to defend Ukraine or rally global solidarity worldwide — they know very well what's at stake in this war. This episode features Vladyslav Heraskevych, a Ukrainian two-timeOlympian athlete and the first-ever Ukrainian skeleton racer.

s2e11: Back in February, most Ukrainians still had no idea about the harrowing scale of genocide awaiting them in the coming months. But our friends from Syria and other parts of the Middle East reached out instantly with live-saving tips. Before unleashing it onto Ukraine, Russia tested and polished most of its terrorist and war crimes tactics on Syrian civilians — facing zero consequences or meaningful condemnation. But the hope is that crushing Russia in Ukraine will also end Russian terror in Syria. For another bridge episode, we feature Joey Ayoub, a Lebanese writer and host of The Fire These Times Project, and Leila Al-Shami, a Syrian writer and co-author of 'Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War.'

s2e10: "Being free people is not cheap. What Ukrainians are going through is very much similar to what many people in Africa went through or are still going through." For another bridge episode of anti-colonial solidarity, we invited a South Sudanese liberation movement legend and prominent African thinker Peter Ajak Blair. In a powerful, raw, and moving chat, he explains why the Ukrainian liberation struggle triggers so many personal memories and why he believes more Africans should care.  

s2e9: when the genocide in Ukraine started, we were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and solidarity from Japan. What makes people from, literally, the other side of our planet hurt, rally and cheer together with Ukrainians? For another bridge episode, we feature Ihor Ihnatiev, an activist from Stand With Ukraine Japan, and Asami Terajima, a Kyiv-based journalist with Kyiv Independent. We will also have a very special and moving cameo from one of our Patreon family members, joining live from Japan.

s2e8: Ukrainians are fighting not only to get their stolen homes back. This battle is also about their values, identity, and right to manifest who they are. Facing genocidal evil trying to assimilate them, Ukrainians resist by doubling down on diversity, creativity, and belief that they can build a better world. For this one, we feature Alice Zhuravel, a proud Ukrainian of color, a wartime artist making brilliant things at the nexus of tech and media, and the founder of Tozhsamist, a Ukrainian creative collective. 

s2e7: 'That's very unfair that you, Ukrainians, have to pay for all of us to find ourselves, to start valuing ourselves, to start emancipating ourselves.' We entered this bridge episode to find similarities between Qazaqstan and Ukraine in our shared anti-colonial struggle. We ended up with one of our most powerful and moving episodes. Our featured Ukrainian ally is Botakoz Kassymbekova, a prominent Kazakh scholar and thinker. 

s2e6:genocide in Ukraine triggers tens of millions of Russian neighbors. It is more than empathy, though. The history of colonial violence, erasure, and assimilation by russia is a shared experience for dozens of nations. We foster Ukrainian-Kyrgyz anti-colonial solidarity for another bridge episode and feature brilliant Kyrgyz journalist Bektour Iskender.

s2e5: for this one, we pay tribute to fearless queer Ukrainians who defiantly manifest their rainbow colors even as Russian bombs keep raining down on them. Kharkiv pride went ahead on September 25th, 2022, in the country's second-largest city — despite fighting ongoing just several kilometers away and non-stop Russian shelling. Why has the Ukrainian queer liberation been turbo-charged by Russian full-scale invasion? We feature Ruslana Hnatchenko of Kharkiv Prideand Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, the only transgender journalist covering genocide in Ukraine full-time.

s2e4:we are back to cast a kickass spell of ancient Ukrainian magic against Russian colonialism. Our featured Ukrainian is sensational artist Anka Lavriv.

s2e3: we are back to remind you why Ukraine and Ukrainian voices must remain at the center of global attention and should not be dismissed or ignored. Our featured Ukrainian is Oksana Pokalchuk, a legendary human rights defender who documents Russian war crimes.

s2e2:why ending the genocide in Ukraine can only be done with the liberation of Crimea? Why understanding Russian settler colonialism in Crimea is understanding Ukraine? Why learning about the resistance of Crimean Tatars against annihilation is learning about Ukraine? Why speaking the truth about Ukraine is paramount, no matter how uncomfortable? For this one, we feature Sevgil Musaieva, an award-winning Ukrainian journalist, editor-in-chief of the country's largest independent newsroom Ukrainska Pravda.

s2e1: we are trying something new for Season Two — building stronger bridges between Ukrainians and our friends across the globe. In this one, we connect with kickass anti-imperialism and anti-colonialism fighters in Taiwan, where strong solidarity with Ukraine keeps making global headlines. Why Taiwanese feel so passionately about a nation living literally on the side of the planet? Our featured Ukrainian is a prominent activist and digital storyteller, Olek Shyn. And our featured Ukrainian ally is a Taiwanese freedom fighter and activist, Aurora Chang.

s1e34: for the Season One finale, we keep it in the family and gather our #UkrainianSpaces family members to put messages of Ukrainian hope, love, resilience, and defiance into a podcast time capsule. Featured Ukrainians are (in the order of appearance): Mariam Naiem, Olek Shyn, Stas Olenchenko,Maria Buchelnikova, Romeo Kokriatski,Maria aka Vinok Collective,Kvitka Perehinets,Tetyana Denford (Bisyk).

s1e33:one of the most visceral images from the ongoing genocide in Ukraine has been Ukrainians risking everything to save their pets or animals from a war zone. From zoo keepers who keep showing up for work even under russian shelling and rescuers putting their lives on the line to save pets trapped under the rubble of russian terrorist attacks, to thousands of volunteers working 24/7 to assist war-affected animals in the most dangerous places across the country. But why do Ukrainians keep risking their lives to save a life of an animal? The answer will tell you much more about Ukraine than you expect. For this one, we feature Olha Chevhaniuk, a Ukrainian animal rights activist behind @UAnimalsENG, Ukraine's largest animal rescue initiative. 

s1e32:apparently, eight years of Ukrainians having the lowest levels of political representation of far-right forces in Europe is not self-evident. So we gathered Ukrainian journalists to fact-check all the stupid myths about far-rights in Ukraine. Our featured Ukrainians are prominent journalists with years of experience in investigating fascists, Nika Melkozerova of New Voices of Ukraine and Katerina Sergatskova of Zaborona.

Also, check out these explainers, 'How the world got tricked into believing that Ukraine has a Nazi problem' and 'Why Russia is fascist' by our friends at Ukraine Explainers.

s1e31: this show will be claimed by Romani Ukrainians and the stories of their struggle and defiance amid genocide in Ukraine. Our featured Ukrainian is Natali Tomenko, a brilliant Romani activist behind @ArcaYngo, a movement uniting Roma youth in Ukraine.

s1e30: this is a tribute to Generation Freedom, young Ukrainians in their 20s and 30s tasked with defending Ukraine from russian aggression. Identically to folks of their age elsewhere, they love their flat-whites, avocado toasts, and oversharing on social media. But they also put their lives on the line for democracy, equality, and freedom. For this one, we keep it in the family and invite back Mariam Naiem, a Ukrainian artist, researcher, and digital storyteller. 

s1e29:there are over 60+ million Ukrainians globally. We speak different languages. We are of different religions, skin colors, and ethnicities. But for the first time, each and every one of us is working in unison to ensure our homeland stands, our shared values are defended, our diversity is preserved, and our voices are not silenced. To understand Ukraine is to learn why diversity is integral to our identity and how it glues us together instead of dividing us. For this one, we feature Rissana Shytu, a proud queer Ukrainian woman of color, an entrepreneur, a migrant, and, as of recently, a volunteer running a refugee center for Ukrainians in Spain. 

s1e28: in this one, we vent about the cruel, arrogant, and colonial treatment Ukrainians get from some foreign leftists. Our featured Ukrainian is Romeo Kokriatski, a journalist, podcaster, and proud Marxist.

s1e27: the Donbas mythology forms the ideological foundation of the Russian genocidal campaign in Ukraine. You won't understand Kremlin's obsession with eradicating Ukrainians without decolonizing your views about eastern Ukraine. This episode features Yevhenii Monastyrskyi, a brilliant young Ukrainian scholar from Luhansk.

s1e26:"Every photographer dreams of taking a photo that will stop the war." This is the quote by Maks Levin, a Ukrainian journalist executed by Russian terrorists for documenting their war crimes in Kyiv suburbs earlier this year. Freedom of speech is sacrosanct for Ukrainians. That's why fierce and fearless Ukrainian journalism became the backbone of Ukrainian democracy. Thousands of Ukrainian journalists keep risking their lives every day to ensure the truth about this genocide is documented and amplified. Despite dozens of their colleagues being already killed by Russian terrorists. Despite over 80% of them losing their income partially or fully. Despite the fact that foreign big tech keeps indiscriminately censoring their work and refuses to de-platform lavishly-funded Kremlin propaganda. For this tribute to Ukrainian journalists that keep documenting genocide against all odds, we invited Andrey Boborykin, CEO of Ukraine's largest and oldest independent newspaper Ukrainska Pravda.

s1e25: many around the world can namedrop Russian writers. Few can do the same when it comes to Ukrainian literature. Even though the Ukrainian literary tradition is more than half a millennia older than Russian. Even though there wouldn't be Russian literature without Ukraine. Even though many literary names that people abroad think are Russian are, in fact, Ukrainian writers whose work Russian colonialism has appropriated. For this one, we recruit brilliant Ukrainian journalist Bohdana Neborak to help us to decolonize Ukrainian literature for the rest of the world.

S1E23: pride is something Ukrainians have been punished for, over and over again, for centuries. Pride in being who they are, the language they speak, the values they cherish, and the pride in who they love. In many ways, there's so much queerness in being a Ukrainian. And who are the best people to testify to that than queer Ukrainians? For this one, #UkrainianSpaces co-founder Maksym Eristavi and a prominent Ukrainian digital storyteller, Maria, aka VinokCollective, decolonize everything about Ukrainian pride. 

s1e22: Food is sacral for Ukrainians. Any rituals around growing, cooking, sharing, and eating foods are synonymous with persisting, surviving, thriving, and connecting with fellow Ukrainians — against all odds. That's why one of the nicest things you can do to show appreciation for a Ukrainian is to learn how to cook Ukrainian dishes. This episode is about nurturing all of us back to life — and decolonizing some stuff about Ukrainian cuisine and culture along the way. Our featured Ukrainian is a celebrity chef and storyteller-food-writer Olia Hercules.

s1e21: From frontlines and volunteering to the global campaign of informing and explaining Ukraine, the Ukrainian resistance to russian fascism is led by brilliant, defiant Ukrainians of a new generation. In this one, we feature a young Ukrainian journalist and rising star of Ukrainian journalism, Anastasiia Lapatina.

s1e20: one of the biggest misconceptions about colonialism is that it must be exclusive to racial relations or maritime empires. Only white folks can colonize, and only folks of color can be colonized. But the history of Ukraine, most of Eastern Europe, as well as Scotland and Ireland, beg to differ. Our featured Ukrainian Nadia Dobrianska, an Ireland-based Ukrainian journalist, educates us about parallels between the colonial experiences of the Irish and Ukrainians.

s1e19: We are always unfiltered, raw, and honest, so this episode is about what all Ukrainians are going through, but few admit it: burnout. How it manifests, and how you can help a Ukrainian next to you battle it. The featured Ukrainian is researcher and activist Kvitka Perehinets.

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s1e18: Roses are red, violets are blue. Russian colonialism - we are coming for you. This episode is all about the historic moment of powerful self-decolonization most Ukrainians are going through. Our featured Ukrainian is Sasha Boychenko, a social justice researcher and advocate.

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s1e17: understanding Ukraine is understanding why Ukrainians are bilingual, why and how we choose what language to speak in everyday life, and why so many Ukrainians ended up speaking Russian in the first place. We won't say this issue is simple, but it is possible for a foreigner to grasp. Ukrainian social media influencer and Ukraine explainerStas Olenchenko helps us out with this topic and shares a powerful family story to illustrate it.

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s1e16: we need to talk about German obsession with 'good Russians.' Why is it for some easier to see 44 millions of Ukrainians being wiped out than making Moscow upset? Why it is so hard for some in the West to stand up to Russian colonialism? And how Ukrainians, nevertheless, successfully flipping yesterday's skeptics into today's friends? We thought that Nata Druhak, a prominent Ukrainian activist and communications guru living in Berlin is the best person to unpack that.

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s1e15: have you noticed how uncomfortable some foreigners get around Ukrainians these days? Especially around those of us who speak out and unapologetically manifest our identities? Perhaps because Ukrainians are calling out the injustice of a genocide happening in the middle of Europe in 2022 and the 'never again' bs. Perhaps because we are pointing to problems with the international order that many would rather ignore. Or, perhaps, because we are arguing on behalf of collective responsibility as a foundation of any healthy democratic society. These would be our first guesses. What are yours? For this one, we invited one of the Ukrainian champions of uncomfortable truths, a volunteer and gameplay designer, Sergey Mohov.

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s1e14: watching your people perishing in genocide is another-level trauma. It is exceptionally traumatic if you are witnessing it in person. But it will leave you deeply traumatized if you are witnessing via screens and social media, too. A prominent Ukrainian journalist Jane Lytvynenko joins us to educate all of us about vicarious trauma, how to talk to your Ukrainian friends during the genocide, and clarify if the Ukrainian way of dealing with grief is any different.

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s1e13: This is the first genocide in human history that is being broadcasted live to the rest of the world 24/7. Tens of millions of Ukrainians are forced to defend their lives. And argue on behalf of their humanity daily online, too. This struggle brought to light a new generation of Ukrainian storytellers who educate the world and decolonize views of Ukraine in a powerful, impactful way. For this one, we feature two of them: Maria aka vinok collective and Tetyana Denford aka tetyana bisyk.

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s1e12: How many russian writers you know who are actually Ukrainian? Why so few people are familiar with one of the most ancient literature cultures in Europe? If I want to start exploring Ukrainian literature, where do i start? For this one, we invited Kate Tsurkan, a journalist and honorary Ukrainian, to decolonize foreign myths about Ukrainian literature and give you a crash-course to it.

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s1e11: The role of women is so central to the Ukrainian identity that even the word 'Ukraine' is widely associated by Ukrainians with 'a woman.' The country has exceptionally ancient, pioneering, and strong matriarchal traditions that still manifest to this very day. For example, Europe's largest share of women on active military duty or women leading Ukrainian civil society. The strong female vibe of Ukraine has also always made Russian colonial patriarchy lose their goddamned minds. For this episode, we recruit the help of Olena Shevchenko, a prominent queer activist and feminist, and our own Valeriia Voshchevska, stepping in this time as a co-founder of Marsh Zhinok, Ukraine's largest feminist rally, to decolonize the image of Ukrainian women.

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s1e10: The russian invasion of Ukraine did not start on February 24th, 2022. First russian tanks rolled over our borders in early 2014. But despite the war and constant annihilation attempts by moscow, in the last eight years, Ukraine turned into Europe's powerhouse of reforms. From radical economic, anti-corruption and energy transformations to human rights equality advances that left behind even some EU states. Few foreign media paid attention to it, but Ukraine was one of the most powerful emerging success stories in Europe. And that was quite likely the reason behind russian mad drive for revenge. In this episode we ask prominent anti-corruption fighter Olena Halushka and energy reformer Alina Sviderska to decolonize foreign myths about 'backward ukraine.'

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s1e9: If only there was a collection of digestible, cool, smart mini-guides to Ukraine that we could all share to educate our foreign friends in foreign languages, right? Stas Olenchenko and Marichka Buchelnikova, the founders of Ukraine Explainers, are on a mission to do exactly that. We asked them how it happened that most foreign media systemically misrepresented Ukraine for decades and ended up covering Ukrainians through Russian colonial lenses. Stas and Marichka also shared the most popular Ukraine topics in need of decolonizing and tips on how to do Ukraine explaining right.

If you love this episode and fell in love with the mission of Marichka and Stas,then check the ways and options of how you can support Ukraine Explainers.

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s1e7: you won't understand the ongoing genocide in Ukraine if you haven't heard about russian colonialism. we recruit two brilliant Ukrainians to explain it: filmmaker Oleksiy Radynski and researcher/activist Kvitka Perehinets. This episode includes such gems as: the biggest hole in the russian colonialism mythology, how russian colonialism manifests in the everyday lives of Ukrainians, how russian colonialism is inherently fascist, how russian colonialism uses the same copy-paste job in Ukraine for centuries, why russian colonialism won't end with Putin — and more.

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s1e6: 101 on the real roots of Ukrainian culture and identity. Language, ethnicity, race, nationalism, cultural appropriation and colonialism - all the things you wanted to ask about Ukrainian identity but never knew how. Our featured Ukrainians: researcher and artist Mariam Naiem and a prominent YouTuber and movie critic Alina Nikulina.

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s1e5: In this one, we decolonize all the stupid things foreigners think or say about Ukraine with the help of Julia Tymoshenko, Ukraine explainer-in-chief on insta.

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s1e4: since the genocide started, Ukraine has been the focus of the most intense foreign news coverage ever. yet, it has also never been so wrong and distorted. seen through the western gaze, Ukraine is often covered and explained without zero Ukrainian voices. and when they are included, they are labeled too emotional or too biased to take seriously. in this one, we decolonize foreign news coverage of Ukraine. our featured Ukrainian is Olga Tokariuk, a prominent Ukrainian journalist

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s1e3: Ukraine has seen an unprecedented wave of global solidarity since russians launched the genocide of Ukrainians. hundreds of millions fundraised, billions sent in various types of aid. millions of people around the world volunteer for the cause of Ukraine's freedom. however, in the end, foreign humanitarian aid to the country is a mess. Ukraine receives tons of stuff she doesn't need and next to zero of what she asks. this week we decolonize foreign myths about what solidarity with Ukraine should really look like. our featured Ukrainian is Tymofiy Mylovanov, Ukraine's former economy minister, current adviser to the presidential administration, and president of Kyiv School of Economics

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s1e2: most are familiar with russian culture. as a culture-colonizer it thrived globally at the expense of colonized voices that were silenced, repressed, and appropriated. that's exactly the reason why centuries of kickass anti-colonial art done by Ukrainians remains mainly unknown to the rest of the world. especially the names of Ukrainian women who have been leading it with powerful messages of equality, freedom, and, oftentimes, queerness — decades before it became mainstream in the rest of Europe. Ukrainian scholar Sasha Dovzhyk is our featured Ukrainian for this one.

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