Understanding the Russian-Ukrainian conflict
Historical and contemporary background on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Published on July 21, 2023
77 Days of February: Living and Dying in Ukraine, Told by the Nation’s Own Journalists
77 Days of February: Living and Dying in Ukraine, Told by the Nation’s Own Journalists
Reporters Magazine“I don't know what day of the week it is. I know what day of the war it is.” These open-eyed, never-before-told firsthand accounts from everyday Ukrainians about the harrowing early days of Russia’s invasion in February 2022 provide critical perspectives about the ongoing conflict. Renowned poet and activist Serhiy Zhadan introduces this collection that highlights the courage and perseverance of Ukraine’s people.
State of the World from NPR
702 podcast episodes
State of the World from NPR
702 podcast episodesStay up-to-date on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict thanks to NPR’s “State of Ukraine” podcast, releasing new episodes several times a week. Reporters, politicians, and subject matter experts share new developments in real time plus essential background on the invasion. These episodes are short, to the point, and highly informative.
NPR8 min read
3 Decades Of Turmoil Bring Ukraine To Perhaps Its Greatest Crisis
Since its independence from the Soviet Union, Ukraine has wavered between the influences of Moscow and the West, surviving scandal and conflict with its young democracy intact.
In light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, many wonder what led to this violent turn of events. This article by NPR offers concise background on the current conflict, beginning in 1989 with the end of the Cold War and covering noteworthy events related to Ukraine, Russia, and NATO.
Russia's Threat to Invade Ukraine: Amid Moscow’s increasing tensions between Ukraine & Russia & with the threat of war looming Dan is joined by A. D. Miller to discuss the long & complex relationship between the two countries & how to make sense of the current crisis.
Russia's Threat to Invade Ukraine: Amid Moscow’s increasing tensions between Ukraine & Russia & with the threat of war looming Dan is joined by A. D. Miller to discuss the long & complex relationship between the two countries & how to make sense of the current crisis.
Dan Snow's History HitTension, military action, and strategic political moves spanning the 20th century brought us to the present war between Russia and Ukraine. This episode of “Dan Snow’s History Hit” podcast, (recorded at the brink of the Russian invasion) provides context on Russia-Ukraine relations, as well as insight into NATO and the roles Europe and the U.S. play in the conflict.
Ukraine: What Everyone Needs to Know
Serhy YekelchykWhat do Ukrainians think of their political standing with Russia and the West? Yekelchyk writes a balanced and thorough overview of Ukraine as a nation and political player from the perspective of the nation’s citizens.
Ukraine in Histories and Stories: Essays by Ukrainian intellectuals
Volodymyr YermolenkoFor more on Ukrainians’ perspectives, this collection offers a better understanding of the headlines with an insider's look at Ukraine's present and past. Ukrainian writers, historians, and thought-leaders explain their country and culture in their own words, including reflections on Ukrainian bread, national stereotypes, poetry, and pop culture.
Dispatches From Kyiv
The MillionsMillions staff writer Il’ja Rákoš’ “Dispatches From Kyiv” chronicles his harrowing and heartbreaking experiences in the early days of Russia’s war with Ukraine: “I expect the Russians are not done bombing things that are better left at peace. So far, that list includes kindergartens, hospitals, train stations, apartment blocks, dormitories, neighborhoods, rural townships, public squares and, at last count, one major university. If this is what ‘Russian liberation’ looks like, I’ll take slavery.”
Anne Applebaum: Fighting Against the Great Forgetting: The Soviet famine of the early 1930s killed around 5 million people; almost 4 million of them were Ukrainians. As Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and Washington Post columnist Anne Applebaum demonstrates in her latest book, Red Famine, it wasn't fate o
Anne Applebaum: Fighting Against the Great Forgetting: The Soviet famine of the early 1930s killed around 5 million people; almost 4 million of them were Ukrainians. As Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and Washington Post columnist Anne Applebaum demonstrates in her latest book, Red Famine, it wasn't fate o
Library TalksThere are many reasons behind the tension between Russia and Ukraine, some of which are overlooked in Western history. In this episode of “Library Talks,” author Ann Applebaum discusses the Red Famine, a targeted famine that left millions of Ukrainians dead. The Soviet Union swept this atrocity under the rug, and Russia refuses to take responsibility for it to this day.
Enduring Alliance: A History of NATO and the Postwar Global Order
Timothy Andrews SayleThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a military alliance between much of Europe and North America, formed in the aftermath of World War II. “Enduring Alliance” provides an overview of the organization’s founding and subsequent years of political power struggles.
It’s not about Ukraine. It’s about Putin.: It’s not about Russia, either.
The WeedsThis episode of “The Weeds,” a podcast produced by Vox Media, gets to the heart of the Russia-Ukraine conflict: Putin’s firm belief that Ukraine is (and always will be) an indistinguishable part of the Russian Federation. Learn how Putin’s nationalism threatens not only Ukraine, but the world at large. This episode references podcasts from “Throughline” and “Today, Explained,” also included in this list for full context.
Russia's Vladamir Putin: In this episode, we dive into the life of Vladimir Putin and try to understand how he became Russia's new "tsar."
Russia's Vladamir Putin: In this episode, we dive into the life of Vladimir Putin and try to understand how he became Russia's new "tsar."
ThroughlineOffering even more background on “The Weeds” episode on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, NPR provides a concise history of Vladimir Putin himself, from his KGB career and his first successful election in 2000 through today.
Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice
Bill BrowderWritten like a gripping thriller novel, this is financier Browder’s personal account of exposing deep corruption in Russia. “Red Notice” chronicles Browder’s unfailing will to fight against Putin’s regime, proving that sometimes fact is far stranger than fiction. His follow-up book, “Freezing Order,” explores the cover-up of the murder of his young Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitskyl.
The Long Hangover: Putin's New Russia and the Ghosts of the Past
Shaun WalkerWalker, a long-time Moscow correspondent for several news outlets, writes a lively history of modern Russia — a nation, he argues, that never moved on from the fall of the Soviet Union. “The Long Hangover” chronicles Putin’s near-obsession with the Soviet Union’s success in WWII as well as the annexation of Crimea. These events provide context for current affairs.
War with Russia?: From Putin & Ukraine to Trump & Russiagate
Stephen F. CohenTo understand something as complex as Russia-Ukraine-U.S. relations (and a military invasion), we must hear from many perspectives. The late Russian scholar Cohen turns the typical narrative about Russia on its head, offering exhaustive and fascinating research on geopolitics since the Cold War. Much of his insight goes against the media portrayal of Russia and Putin, making this book an important read.
Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took On the West
Catherine BeltonAs the former Moscow correspondent for “The Financial Times,” Belton chronicles the rise of not only Putin but also the former KGB officers that surround him and carry out his policies. A stark contrast to Cohen’s “War With Russia?,” this book dwells on the evils of “Putinism” while exploring how Putin’s Russia became the divisive nation it is today.
Ukraine’s pipeline problem: The US is negotiating to stop Russia from invading Ukraine, but a Germany-backed natural gas project complicates things.
Ukraine’s pipeline problem: The US is negotiating to stop Russia from invading Ukraine, but a Germany-backed natural gas project complicates things.
Today, ExplainedReferenced in “The Weeds” episode on Putin, the “Today, Explained” podcast provides valuable insight into the natural gas pipelines, Nord Stream 1 and 2, that run from Russia to Germany.
Recorded before explosions shut down the pipelines in September 2022, this episode provides essential background on how they became bargaining chips, and targets, in Putin’s ongoing invasion.