One can scarcely read the news these days without coming across references to the threat of an imminent “new Cold War.” Gravely, experts warn of escalating tensions being ratcheted up as a result of western sanctions against the Kremlin, ongoing friction in Ukraine in addition to any number of other […]
Nearly five years after the EuroMaidan revolution convulsed Ukraine, Kyiv’s youthful cultural scene is flourishing. Even in the midst of war and economic turmoil, the city’s creative milieu is booming from fashion to raving to partying to film to theater to outdoor concerts to food events to chic, hipster-like bars […]
Rallying on Maidan square during protests against the Viktor Yanukovych government, Ukraine’s LGBT community hoped that western integration might eventually help promote social equality and tolerance. But now, five years later, some wonder whether the West offers such a hopeful and optimistic model for the future. Take, for example, post-Brexit […]
What is it like to hobnob with the some of the most powerful figures among the world’s political and financial elite? Recently, I had an opportunity as a member of the media to attend the Yalta European Strategy (YES) conference in Kyiv, a kind of “Davos of the East” gathering […]
In the post-Maidan era, Kyiv has witnessed the proliferation of murals which dot the sides of buildings throughout the capital. Many murals underscore Ukraine’s search for historical and political meaning. Take, for example, Mata Ruda’s “Protectress,” located just a block away from Maidan square. The mural depicts Berehynia, a Slavic […]
In the wake of the Maidan revolution, Ukraine is in the midst of historic and nationalist soul searching. Below in the Zoloti Vorota metro stop, visitors may find medieval motifs of some interest. On a 2018 trip, I came upon more mosaics adorning a theater.
The Kronstadt rebellion took place in March, 1921. Located on an island in the Gulf of Finland, Kronstadt is a naval fortress on an island in the Gulf of Finland which has served as the base of the Russian Baltic Fleet and to guard the city of St. Petersburg thirty-five […]
On the outskirts of Kyiv lies Mezhyhirya estate, former home to deposed President Viktor Yanukovych. The gaudy surroundings attest to Yanukovych’s corrupt and opulent lifestyle. Today, however, many visitors simply opt to ride bicycles through the local park or pose for selfies. Yanukovych’s house is closed, and actually getting to […]
Four years after the revolution, crowds of Maidan square are gone though signs of previous political struggle are still evident. On the side of a building, a banner reads “Freedom Is Our Religion.” Meanwhile, flags representing right wing military battalions flutter up above Maidan square. For more on the Azov […]
Has Ukraine succeeded in promoting a truly multi-ethnic and pluralistic state? On the local Kyiv food scene at least, the country seems to have succeeded. On a somewhat more unusual note, Kyiv also offers Carpathian cuisine, not to be confused with the Caucasus region (note: for more on Transcarpathia click […]
