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Ukrainian Spaces

Ukrainian Spaces

By Ukrainian Spaces

Amplifying diverse Ukrainian voices and decolonizing Ukraine conversations. Discussing Ukraine abroad without a single Ukrainian featured is still a norm. Not only it continuously robs us of our agency, but it also perpetuates outdated, misleading, and false narratives about Ukraine and Ukrainians. Amid the ongoing genocide, we nurture a safe, and chill space for Ukrainians and friends of Ukraine to express themselves without the need to fit any foreign labels.
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Season 4 Premiere: How it all started.

Ukrainian SpacesJan 04, 2024
00:00
18:15
Six windows on Ukraine: Acceptance.

Six windows on Ukraine: Acceptance.

“Acceptance is learning how to live, even when grief never leaves.”

For our fifth season, ⁠Ukrainian Spaces⁠ returns to its beginnings, revisiting six Ukrainians from the 2022 inaugural season to see how war, time, and resistance have reshaped their lives. Across six episodes—fear, belonging, creation, resilience, love, and acceptance—our guests reflect on the past and write letters to their former selves. This season affirms that Ukraine’s story is best told by Ukrainians themselves.

For our season five finale, the Acceptance episode, Val and Maksym reunite with Marichka Buchelnikova, a Ukrainian producer, journalist, civil society advocate, and co-founder of Ukraine Explainers. We reflect on extreme resistance burnout many Ukrainians face, accepting our human limits in the face of existential threat, and the quiet work of learning how to live alongside genocide without normalising it.

Since her first appearance on Ukrainian Spaces in 2022, Marichka has had to make a series of difficult life choices and completely rethink her relationships with work, activism, and self-preservation. She speaks candidly about exhaustion, about saying less with more impact, and about accepting that some changes brought by war are irreversible.

In this episode, Marichka helps us understand acceptance not as resignation, but as a form of resistance: the ability to grieve, to care, to love, and to keep choosing life in a violent reality that cannot be undone. 

We hope that with this season five finale, we can inspire more people beyond Ukraine to learn from Ukrainians and step into, unfortunately, a more turbulent future without being paralysed by fear and anxiety. 

Ukrainian Spaces is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the Ukrainian story, breaking free from outdated Ukrainian 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 right to exist.


SUPPORT: Ukrainian Spaces is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonise 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 


This season, Ukrainian Spaces returns in partnership with Ukrainska Pravda – one of Ukraine’s most trusted voices for truth and freedom. Stand with independent Ukrainian journalism. You can also make a donation through their website or join their Patreon community. Every contribution keeps the story alive.

Jan 28, 202650:36
Six windows on Ukraine: Love.

Six windows on Ukraine: Love.

“What this war taught us as a society, as people, is that yes, it doesn't take you a lot to help somebody, to step in, to extend your hand to people whom you do not know. It made us more open to helping strangers, to helping each other.”

For our fifth season, Ukrainian Spaces returns to its beginnings, revisiting six Ukrainians from the 2022 inaugural season to see how war, time, and resistance have reshaped their lives. Across six episodes—fear, belonging, creation, resilience, love, and acceptance—our guests reflect on the past and write letters to their former selves. This season affirms that Ukraine’s story is best told by Ukrainians themselves.

In this Love episode of the new Ukrainian Spaces season, we reconnect with a Ukrainian journalist, media strategist and head of the Ukraїner platform, Julia Tymoshenko. She shares with Val and Maksym why she decided to stay in Ukraine in 2022, choosing journalism as her new career, and how she has taken on even more responsibility in uncertain times.

Julia opens up about the lasting scars of the russian occupation of her home village, and why any future peace in Ukraine and Europe won’t be possible without justice served for stealing, violating and destroying Ukrainian homes. Julia closes the episode with a letter to her 2022 self, written from a place shaped by loss, endurance, and love.

Ukrainian Spaces is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the Ukrainian story, breaking free from imperial stereotypes about Ukraine, 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 right to exist.

SUPPORT: Ukrainian Spaces is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonise 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 

This season, Ukrainian Spaces returns in partnership with Ukrainska Pravda – one of Ukraine’s most trusted voices for truth and freedom. Stand with independent Ukrainian journalism. You can also make a donation through their website or join their Patreon community. Every contribution keeps the story alive.

Jan 21, 202653:17
Six windows on Ukraine: Resilience.

Six windows on Ukraine: Resilience.

“A Ukrainian home is something you rebuild, again and again.”

For our fifth season, Ukrainian Spaces returns to its beginnings, revisiting six Ukrainians from the 2022 inaugural season to see how war, time, and responsibility have reshaped their lives. Across six episodes—fear, belonging, creation, resilience, love, and acceptance—our guests reflect on the past and write letters to their former selves. This season affirms that Ukraine’s story is best told by Ukrainians themselves.

In this Resilience episode of the new Ukrainian Spaces season, we speak with Olia Hercules, a Ukrainian-born celebrity chef and writer whose work goes far beyond food. Olia talks about family, memory, and what happens when history is erased and must be carried by people instead — as a form of Ukrainian resilience, tested by centuries of Ukrainian resistance to erasure.

Since her first appearance on the Ukrainian Spaces in 2022, Olia has started educating her large international audience about war crimes in Ukraine and daily terror Ukrainians have been enduring, but also about the richness of the Ukrainian culture and traditions — proving that even public figures outside politics can and should be using their platforms to stand up for their values, human dignity and justice. Departing from her usual bestselling cookbooks, Olia has also published “Strong Roots,” a family memoir shaped by generations of war, deportation, and exile. 

In this episode, Olia helps us understand Ukraine through one family’s experience and shows how survival is not only about enduring but also about continuing to love, remember, and rebuild.

Ukrainian Spaces is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the Ukrainian story, breaking free from outdated Ukrainian 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 right to exist.
SUPPORT: Ukrainian Spaces is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonise 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 

This season, Ukrainian Spaces returns in partnership with Ukrainska Pravda – one of Ukraine’s most trusted voices for truth and freedom. Stand with independent Ukrainian journalism. You can also make a donation through their website or join their Patreon community. Every contribution keeps the story alive.

Jan 14, 202648:13
Six windows on Ukraine: Creation.

Six windows on Ukraine: Creation.

"These films are not about events. They are about structures that allow violence to happen."

For our fifth season, Ukrainian Spaces returns to where it began: revisiting six Ukrainians from the 2022 inaugural season to see how hope, resistance, and resilience have shaped their lives. Across six episodes—fear, belonging, language, love, resistance, and the future—our guests reflect on the past, share intimate stories, and write letters to their former selves. A return and continuation, this season reminds us that Ukraine’s story is best told by Ukrainians themselves.

In this episode of the season, Ukrainian Spaces reconnects with a Ukrainian filmmaker and writer, Oleksiy Radynski. He joins Maksym and Val to reflect on how analytical thinking and creative work became his ways to endure the anxiety and chaos of the full-scale invasion. What started as an effort to stay focused grew into award-winning films and viral texts that document russian war crimes and dismantle russian imperial myths.

Through his wartime films Chornobyl-22, Special Operation, and Where Russia Ends, Radynski examines how empire operates through space, ecology, and silence, moving beyond conventional war storytelling. He also speaks about silent resistance, memory, and why art and storytelling remain one of Ukraine’s most persistent forms of anti-colonial resistance.

The episode closes with a message from Oleksiy to his 2022 self: empires will fall, but none can be trusted to undo another.

Ukrainian Spaces is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the Ukrainian story, breaking free from outdated Ukrainian 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 right to exist.

SUPPORT: Ukrainian Spaces is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonise 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 

This season, Ukrainian Spaces returns in partnership with Ukrainska Pravda – one of Ukraine’s most trusted voices for truth and freedom. Stand with independent Ukrainian journalism. You can also make a donation through their website or join their Patreon community. Every contribution keeps the story alive.

Jan 07, 202637:39
Six windows on Ukraine: Belonging.

Six windows on Ukraine: Belonging.

”The key to solving the world’s urgent problems may lie within Ukraine — from disinformation to modern warfare. We’ve lived these crises and learned how to resist them.”

For our fifth season, Ukrainian Spaces returns to where it began: revisiting six Ukrainians from the 2022 inaugural season to see how hope, resistance, and resilience have shaped their lives. Across six episodes—fear, belonging, language, love, resistance, and the future—our guests reflect on the past, share intimate stories, and write letters to their former selves. A return and continuation, this season reminds us that Ukraine’s story is best told by Ukrainians themselves.
In the second episode of the season, Ukrainian Spaces returns to a conversation that began in 2022 and follows it to its consequences.

Ukrainian writer and thinker Sasha Dovzhyk joins Maksym and Val to reflect on belonging, return, and what happens when resistance ideas conceived during the darkest hours of the 2022 invasion grew into a trailblazing institution advancing justice in wartime Ukraine. When she first appeared on the podcast during the early months of the full-scale invasion, Sasha was living in London, speaking from within the Ukrainian diaspora. Since then, she has returned to Ukraine and helped turn those ideas into powerful action.

Originally from Zaporizhzhia, Sasha is a Ukrainian writer, curator and the founder of INDEX: Institute for Documentation and Exchange in Lviv. In this episode, she speaks about building knowledge as a form of justice, documenting loss and resistance, and why Ukraine’s experience with anti-imperial resistance matters far beyond its borders. The conversation reflects on imperial cultural erasure, memory, and the responsibility of storytelling in wartime.

Dovzhyk’s letter to her 2022 self,  which anchors her story, reads: “Home will find you.”

Ukrainian Spaces is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the Ukrainian story, breaking free from outdated Ukrainian 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 right to exist.
SUPPORT: Ukrainian Spaces is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonise 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 

This season, Ukrainian Spaces returns in partnership with Ukrainska Pravda – one of Ukraine’s most trusted voices for truth and freedom. Stand with independent Ukrainian journalism. You can also make a donation through their website or join their Patreon community. Every contribution keeps the story alive.

Dec 17, 202551:59
Six windows on Ukraine: Fear.

Six windows on Ukraine: Fear.

”Peace is not achieved unless we undo the displacement. If there's a ceasefire, it doesn't mean much unless there are people who can actually go to their homes”

For our fifth season, Ukrainian Spaces returns to where it began: revisiting six Ukrainians from the 2022 inaugural season to see how hope, resistance, and resilience have shaped their lives. Across six episodes—fear, belonging, language, love, resistance, and the future—our guests reflect on the past, share intimate stories, and write letters to their former selves. A return and continuation, this season reminds us that Ukraine’s story is best told by Ukrainians themselves.A Ukrainian journalist, Olek Shyn, joins Maksym and Val for the first episode of the season to reflect on the early days of the war in Ukraine and how fear has transformed into action, drive, and new purpose. Originally from the Koryo-saram community of Ukrainian Koreans in a small village in southern Ukraine, Olek is now a prominent voice of the Ukrainian community in Taiwan. Today, he is the editor-in-chief of Radio Taiwan International’s Ukrainian Service, the first Ukrainian-language broadcast service in Asia, where he builds bridges of solidarity and deeper understanding between Ukraine and East Asia.

In this episode, Olek explores how his post-invasion fear, since his first appearance on Ukrainian Spaces, has evolved into focus, drive, and clarity, and how living abroad shapes his understanding of Ukraine’s story. He reflects on the awakening of his Ukrainian identity, the way the country is perceived now internationally, and the inner struggles Ukrainians may face even after the war ends. The letter that anchors his story reads: “Fear will sharpen you, but it will not own you.”

Ukrainian Spaces is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the Ukrainian story, breaking free from outdated Ukrainian 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 right to exist.

SUPPORT: Ukrainian Spaces is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonise 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 

WHAT'S NEW: This season, Ukrainian Spaces returns in partnership with Ukrainska Pravda – one of Ukraine’s most trusted voices for truth and freedom. Stand with independent Ukrainian journalism. You can also make a donation through their website or join their Patreon community. Every contribution keeps the story alive.

Dec 10, 202546:11
Unveiled: Ukraine, Forever.

Unveiled: Ukraine, Forever.

S4E6

Stas, Marichka, Val, and Maksym come together for the last episode of the season to reflect on three years of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In this episode, we think back on who we were on February 24, 2022, and how profoundly we have changed since then. We discuss meaningful resistance and solidarity, the importance of personal stories, and our determination to support Ukraine for the long haul to victory and freedom.

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_

Nov 23, 202451:44
Unveiled: the Revolution of Dignity

Unveiled: the Revolution of Dignity

S4E5

“Maidan is a place of freedom.”

Val and Marichka met in Kyiv to record a live episode from Maidan Square, where the Revolution of Dignity happened 10 years before. Listen to us walk around familiar streets and remember how it all started and what we were doing and feeling at the time. Through their eyes and memories, we go back to the events that shaped a new generation of Ukrainian freedom fighters.

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_

Nov 16, 202435:39
Unveiled: Qırım

Unveiled: Qırım

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

GET CONNECTED: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ukrainianspaces.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ _ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ _⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠_

Nov 09, 202445:31
Unveiled: The Orange Revolution

Unveiled: The Orange Revolution

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:

  • Marichka recalls the Orange Revolution through the eyes of a child, witnessing her mother's passionate activism and the birth of a national spirit.
  • Val paints a broader picture, highlighting the Orange Revolution's significance for Ukraine's democratic future and the pushback it received from Russia.
  • Stas reflects on a childhood marked by cultural duality, where Ukrainian culture fought for recognition against the dominance of Russian influence.
  • Maksym shares a poignant story of bullying for speaking Ukrainian, revealing the lingering scars of colonial self-hate.

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_

Jan 24, 202437:29
Unveiled: Ukraine's Renewed Independence

Unveiled: Ukraine's Renewed Independence

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_

Jan 24, 202440:21
Unveiled: Echoes of Chornobyl

Unveiled: Echoes of Chornobyl

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_

Jan 24, 202441:17
Season 4 Premiere: How it all started.

Season 4 Premiere: How it all started.

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_

Jan 04, 202418:15
olek: our ukrainian identity, explained

olek: our ukrainian identity, explained

Dec 18, 202354:16
mid-season bonus: owning stupid stuff we said about Ukraine

mid-season bonus: owning stupid stuff we said about Ukraine

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:

Nov 13, 202334:44
mid-season bonus: a love letter to the diaspora.

mid-season bonus: a love letter to the diaspora.

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:

Sep 23, 202331:47
mid-season bonus: 2014.

mid-season bonus: 2014.

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:

Sep 12, 202335:47
genia and azamat. qazaqs, we see you

genia and azamat. qazaqs, we see you

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:

Jul 24, 202301:09:06
oksana. russian culture is a lie

oksana. russian culture is a lie

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. 

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:

Jul 06, 202353:21
alim. crimea was never russian

alim. crimea was never russian

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 fundraisers the Ukrainian Spaces family members put together.


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    • Jun 19, 202346:09
    olga. honest talk about ukrainian nationalism

    olga. honest talk about ukrainian nationalism

    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. 

    May 30, 202352:50
    sasha. let's talk about russian-speaking ukrainians

    sasha. let's talk about russian-speaking ukrainians

    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.


    May 08, 202344:23
    nodar. sakartvelo, we see you

    nodar. sakartvelo, we see you

    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.

    Apr 25, 202343:41
    maria. the ukrainianness of being jewish

    maria. the ukrainianness of being jewish

    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

    Apr 09, 202348:18
    S3 premiere: big decolonization energy. part two

    S3 premiere: big decolonization energy. part two

    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:

    • Mariam Naiem, a prominent Ukrainian artist and researcher working on mainstreaming global understanding of the colonial and racial aspects of Russian culture concerning Ukraine and other peoples colonized by Russia.
    • Alice Zhuravel, a Ukrainian artist and the founder of the Tozhsamist storytelling initiative.
    • Yulia Krivich, a Ukrainian artist behind SDK "Słonecznik", a Ukrainian Solidary Community Center in Warsaw
    • Marichka Buchelnikova and Stas Olenchenko of the Ukraine Explainers storytelling initiative, a leading outlet for educating foreigners about Ukraine in social-media-friendly formats.
    • Julia Tymoshenko, a leading Ukrainian storyteller, and social media influencer educating the world about the Russian invasion of Ukraine

    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!

    Mar 27, 202325:13
    S3 premiere: big decolonization energy

    S3 premiere: big decolonization energy

    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:

    • Mariam Naiem, a prominent Ukrainian artist and researcher working on mainstreaming global understanding of the colonial and racial aspects of Russian culture concerning Ukraine and other peoples colonized by Russia.
    • Alice Zhuravel, a Ukrainian artist and the founder of the Tozhsamist storytelling initiative.
    • Yulia Krivich, a Ukrainian artist behind SDK "Słonecznik", a Ukrainian Solidary Community Center in Warsaw
    • Marichka Buchelnikova and Stas Olenchenko of the Ukraine Explainers storytelling initiative, a leading outlet for educating foreigners about Ukraine in social-media-friendly formats.
    • Julia Tymoshenko, a leading Ukrainian storyteller, and social media influencer educating the world about the Russian invasion of Ukraine

    Enjoy part one. This show reminds the world that:

    • Ukraine will win
    • Ukraine will rebuild
    • Russian colonialism will end
    • Any forms of colonialism and imperialism will fall
    • Ukraine will stand diverse, and free.

    Слава Україні!

    Mar 13, 202342:38
    S2 finale: 9 ways Ukraine will inspire you

    S2 finale: 9 ways Ukraine will inspire you

    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. 

    Feb 18, 202354:25
    mark. here's why anti-ukraine disinfo gets traction in the west

    mark. here's why anti-ukraine disinfo gets traction in the west

    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. 

    Feb 09, 202350:57
    andrea. things you keep getting wrong about ukraine

    andrea. things you keep getting wrong about ukraine

    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. 

    Feb 04, 202352:47
    lia. how to talk to ukrainians without colonial tropes

    lia. how to talk to ukrainians without colonial tropes

    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.

    Jan 30, 202347:11
    ukrainian music as resistance. zbaraski edition

    ukrainian music as resistance. zbaraski edition

    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:

    Jan 20, 202349:30
    anti-colonial storytellers unite. volya hub edition

    anti-colonial storytellers unite. volya hub edition

    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.

    Jan 15, 202358:26
    james. a message from ukraine frontline

    james. a message from ukraine frontline

    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.

    Jan 09, 202347:20
    nadiia. everything passes but ukraine

    nadiia. everything passes but ukraine

    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.

    Jan 03, 202349:29
    oleksandra. russia stole ukrainian culture

    oleksandra. russia stole ukrainian culture

    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.

    Dec 23, 202248:52
    kateryna. unbreakable ukrainian creativity

    kateryna. unbreakable ukrainian creativity

    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.

    Dec 18, 202251:47
    vlad. ukrainian endurance, explained

    vlad. ukrainian endurance, explained

    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-time Olympian athlete and the first-ever Ukrainian skeleton racer.

    Dec 10, 202245:49
    leila & joey. middle east, we see you

    leila & joey. middle east, we see you

    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.'

    Nov 27, 202255:59
    peter. south sudan, we see you

    peter. south sudan, we see you

    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.  

    Nov 16, 202259:50
    ihor & asami. japan, we see you

    ihor & asami. japan, we see you

    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.

    Nov 05, 202255:32
    alice. ukraine is diverse af

    alice. ukraine is diverse af

    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. 

    Oct 30, 202254:50
    bota. qazaqstan, we see you

    bota. qazaqstan, we see you

    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. 

    Oct 22, 202256:45
    bektour. kyrgyzstan, we see you

    bektour. kyrgyzstan, we see you

    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.

    Oct 15, 202254:13
    ruslana & sarah. the queerness at ukraine frontlines

    ruslana & sarah. the queerness at ukraine frontlines

    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 Pride and Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, the only transgender journalist covering genocide in Ukraine full-time.

    Oct 08, 202254:18
    anka. big witch energy

    anka. big witch energy

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

    Oct 02, 202253:40
    oksana. don’t you dare to look away

    oksana. don’t you dare to look away

    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.

    Sep 25, 202249:17
    sevgil. crimea is ukraine

    sevgil. crimea is ukraine

    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.

    Sep 14, 202255:38
    olek & aurora. taiwan, we see you

    olek & aurora. taiwan, we see you

    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.

    Sep 07, 202257:28
    10 reasons to be hopeful about Ukraine

    10 reasons to be hopeful about Ukraine

    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).

    Aug 23, 202201:00:36
    olha. why ukrainians are ready to die for their pets

    olha. why ukrainians are ready to die for their pets

    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. 

    Aug 20, 202246:20