Reading List: Ukraine & Russia
The war in Ukraine has highlighted Americans' obliviousness to Eastern European politics and history — my own included.
Almost two years ago, after coming to the jarring realization that my historical and political education had a missing piece in the exact shape of Eastern Europe, I set out on a mission to try to learn more about the region’s history and politics.
To say it wasn’t easy would be an understatement.
As an American, the volatile relationship between the U.S. and Russian governments — coupled with disorienting propaganda from both sides — led me down one winding path after another, all of them mostly leading nowhere.
Nearly two years later, on the heels of Putin’s devastating invasion of Ukraine and the threats of war becoming real, I feel like I’ve gotten almost nowhere. I still have only a faint understanding of what’s going on and how we got here.
But as Putin continues his assault on Ukraine, sanctions accumulate against Russia, and international tensions escalate, the need for a clear and complete understanding of the causes of the current crisis — as well as the risks it poses to the rest of the world — have become fully apparent.
Over the last several days, I’ve managed to find a handful of articles that have helped me cut through some of my confusion, at least as it relates to current and past events in the region. As I’ve watched others also struggle to make sense of what’s going on in a distant country with a complicated past amid a worsening crisis, I wanted to share some of my recent reading (and viewing/listening).
I’ve included some content from both before and after the recent invasion, drawing from a combination of reputable mainstream and independent sources that offer varying perspectives and insights into the conflict. Still, this brief list is in no way exhaustive, nor does it go back far enough to tell the entire story — there is still a lot to learn.
If you’re aware of other good resources, please share them in the comments so others can read and learn. (I ask that if you share anything, please make sure it is fair, verifiable, and exhibits respect for all humans irrespective of national origin or ethnicity.)
Ways to Help Ukrainians
Because the safety of innocent civilians should always come first in times of war, I wanted to open by listing a few humanitarian aid organizations that are helping Ukrainian refugees during these times:
Sociopolitical and Geopolitical Explainers
The New York Times: ‘My Cousins Are Killing One Another’: War in Ukraine Splits Mixed Families. (2022)
It isn’t uncommon for Ukrainians and Russians to have friends and family in both countries; still, press coverage on the subject has been lacking. Through a series of interviews with people with relatives in both countries, this powerful NYT feature offers heartbreaking insights into their deeply intertwined history and relationships, and the added level of emotional turmoil the conflict has created for them.
The Economist: “The Kremlin’s propaganda machine is running at full throttle.” (2022)
An eye-opening article describing how reporting and information blackouts have prevented Russians from gaining a complete picture of what’s happening in Ukraine. The article also discusses Russian citizens’ ongoing opposition to the war with Ukraine as the truth has slowly made its way in, including large anti-war protests that have reportedly resulted in the arrests of nearly 4,000 protesters in the last several days. (According to a post on opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s Telegram channel this morning, that number is now around 6,835 protesters, with calls for more anti-war demonstrations across Russia in the coming days. — Use Google Translate to read the post.)
Status Coup News: “The History and Struggles of the Ukraine/Russia Conflict with Steve Grumbine and Robert Hockett.” (2022)
Based on the little I know about Eastern European politics from studying comparative politics in college, this interview is one of the more balanced and politically-informed explanations about the conflict in Ukraine that I’ve been able to find online. The video is an hour long, but worth the time — there is no honest way to simplify or condense such a complicated past.
Hockett explains the two countries’ long, shared social and political history from a dispassionate perspective, comparing the situation to Texas seeking independence from the U.S. to make the issue more relatable for Americans. He also elaborates on more recent political tensions and acknowledges the significant ways U.S. foreign policy has exacerbated those tensions over the years.
Hockett and Grumbine also critically discuss the indiscriminate suffering and chaos that broad-based sanctions inflict on powerless civilians (rather than their reckless and powerful leaders), highlighting the potential for compounding humanitarian crises in both Ukraine and Russia as the value of the ruble tumbles.An excellent article that asks readers to take a hard look at the real-world impact of broad-based sanctions, weighing their effectiveness against their human rights implications for everyday citizens.
The Nation: “Four Years of Ukraine and the Myths of Maidan: The history of the Ukrainian crisis, which has made everything it affected worse, is distorted by political myths and American media malpractice.” (2018)
A discussion about the complicated political relationships and tensions between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. from a professor emeritus of Russian studies and politics at New York University and Princeton University, including a critique of the way the situation has been covered by U.S. media over the years.
The Independent: “EU allies unite against Bush over NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine.” (2008)
This article from 14 years ago offers a glimpse into how long the U.S., the E.U. and Russia’s presidents have been at odds over Ukraine and NATO.
Eastern European History
The Russian Empire History Podcast (2021-22)
Not to be confused with present-day Russia, this podcast explores the lesser-known histories of the peoples and countries that comprised the former Russian Empire (Pre-Soviet Era). I haven’t made it through even half of the episodes yet, so I can’t vouch for the full contents of the podcast, but what I’ve listened to so far has offered much deeper insights into Eastern Europe’s history than the usual stories of kings and queens and tsars and wars.
Film
Everything is Illuminated (2005)
While this movie is probably not appropriate for young children, if you have teenagers in your family, it could be a good way to spark curiosity and conversations about the region’s history and complex sociopolitical issues without overwhelming them. Based on a novel of the same name and set in mid-2000s Ukraine, the film stars Elijah Wood and Eugene Hütz. It follows a young Jewish American man and his endearing local tour guides as they travel the Ukrainian countryside in search of a village connected to his family’s past that was lost to the Holocaust.